JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2013 Jacksonville Fire and Rescue has issued an immediate burn ban for all of Duval County as dangerous wildfire conditions grip the area. <\/p>\n
Director\/Fire Chief Percy Golden II invoked his authority under Jacksonville Municipal Code Section 420.202(e) to prohibit all bonfires and open burning in Duval County effective April 21. The ban remains in effect until further notice.<\/p>\n
\u201cJFRD is ready,\u201d said Director\/Fire Chief Percy Golden II. \u201cOur crews are trained, our equipment is staged, and we are monitoring conditions closely. What we need right now is for our community to do its part. One spark in this environment can become a crisis very quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mayor Donna Deegan reinforced the message with a direct plea to residents. \u201cThis is a straightforward ask. Don\u2019t burn. It\u2019s the best thing residents can do right now to protect their family, their neighbors, and the firefighters who are working hard to keep Jacksonville safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drought conditions reach historic levels<\/p>\n
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for the Duval County area Tuesday. Jacksonville is also in the midst of what officials describe as its driest period on record since 1872.<\/p>\n
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) \u2014 a measure of how dry vegetation and soil have become \u2014 currently reads 594 out of a possible 800. At that level, fuels across the landscape are critically dry and can ignite easily.<\/p>\n
Emergency Operations Center activates partial response<\/p>\n
In response to the worsening drought, the Duval County Emergency Operations Center has moved to a Level 2 partial activation, allowing personnel to focus on fire danger and coordinate resources as needed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not waiting for a large fire. We\u2019ve been taking this seriously,\u201d said Andre Ayoub, chief of the City of Jacksonville Emergency Preparedness Division. \u201cWe are coordinating with stakeholders to ensure everyone is prepared. Now we need the public to understand the significance of this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n