Hillsborough County’s emergency burn ban on outdoor open burning has stretched into a record ninth consecutive week with no end in sight, fire rescue officials said.

The ban, in effect since early January, will continue until further notice, and officials said only a dramatic change in weather would lift it.

“Anything short of a March hurricane in Florida” is what it would take, county fire rescue officials told The Beacon.

“We got some relief, but not enough,” said Rob Herrin, public safety information section chief for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. “We’re hopeful soon, but this drought has been very busy for our department.”

The numbers bear that out. Herrin said the department responded to 741 brush fires in January and February, compared with 416 in the same period in 2025 and 381 in 2024.

“If my math is correct, that’s about 22 brush fires a day, and that’s crazy,” Herrin said. “Knock on wood, so far March has been quieter, and the conditions are changing a bit, but the ban will stay in place for now.”

Statewide, more than 1,100 forest and brush fires have burned over 68,000 acres since the start of January, according to the county’s website.

The emergency order, which declares a local state of emergency, bans all outdoor open burning as well as fireworks, sparklers and fire pits. Exceptions are limited to attended barbecue grills, certain agricultural operations in eastern and southern Hillsborough County that dispose of agricultural plastic through controlled burns, and burning specifically authorized by the Florida Forest Service. The order is reviewed every seven days.

The drought’s effects extend beyond fire risk. Tampa Bay Water, which manages the region’s water supply, declared a Stage 3 Extreme Regional Supply Shortage as of March 1, citing significant rainfall and river flow deficits and projected low reservoir levels. The region is on a once-a-week watering restriction.

Residents and visitors can sign up for HCFL Alert, the county’s public notification system, at HCFL.gov/HCFLAlert to receive text or email updates on the burn ban.