From Citrus County to Manatee and Highlands, burn bans are in effect as severe drought conditions and brush fires impact the area.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Brush fires have been breaking out across Tampa Bay. In places like Hernando, Pinellas, Polk and Hillsborough counties, fire rescue crews have had to put out multiple fires, which have burned through hundreds of acres of land, this week alone.

The region has been under a severe drought notice, and county and city officials have been asking people to be careful with water usage, issuing restrictions for watering lawns in cities like Tampa.

In addition to drought conditions due to a series of dry months, multiple counties continue to have burn bans in place.


According to the Florida Forest Service, as of Feb. 10, counties in the Tampa Bay area are under a burn ban. These include: Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, DeSoto and Highlands counties. 

In addition, Central Florida counties like Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry, Collier, Okeechobee, St. Lucie and Indian River also have a burn ban. Orange County always prohibits yard debris burns.

Hernando County’s burn ban, extended on Jan. 8, warns that “Lack of recent rain and forecasts indicate below average rainfall is expected to continue making it highly favorable for brush fires to occur and rapidly spread.”

Pasco County’s burn ban was announced on Jan. 28. “Pasco County is experiencing extremely dry conditions due to a prolonged lack of rainfall, resulting in an increased risk of brush fires.”

Citrus County Fire Rescue issued a reminder on Monday, adding that the “Withlacoochee Forestry Center will not issue any outdoor burn authorizations in Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Sumter, and Lake counties… due to weather predictions calling for unfavorable outdoor burning conditions.”

Burn bans prohibit all outdoor burning that has not been permitted by the Florida Forest Service. While specifics may vary county by county, the burn bans typically prohibit bonfires, campfires and burning yard debris.

“Please remember that simple actions, like tossing a lit cigarette into the grass, can easily ignite brush fires that can quickly spread out of control – putting people in danger and threatening homes and businesses,” Pasco officials stated.

In the case of Polk County, the burn ban declaration says it prohibits fire activities related to:

CampfiresBonfiresUnpermitted controlled burnsBurning of yard and household trashBurning of organic debrisFireworksNoncommercial burning; “other than for religious or ceremonial purposes, which is not contained in a barbecue grill or barbecue pit and the total fuel area exceeds 3ft in diameter and 2ft in height”

There are exceptions for activities, though. Manatee County says that using outdoor grilling activities are possible, as long as grills are attended.

Hillsborough County’s burn ban includes safety tips to prevent fires. Recommendations range from clearing away dead grass, leaves, twigs and branches from structures, to locating the closest firefighting water source to your home or building. 

Officials in Hillsborough County also recommend not parking your car over high grass when the engine or other parts of the car are hot. To learn more safety tips, you can go to the county’s website.

When will the burn bans be lifted? It is hard to say, since each county will lift the ban after a period of time or until certain conditions are met. For example, Sarasota County issued its ban on Oct. 11, and states that it will be lifted automatically “after the drought index falls below 500 for seven consecutive days.”

For most of the counties in the Tampa Bay area, drought conditions have impacted the land for months.