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Agriculture Press Release |
April 30, 1999 Recent Rain Allows for Partial Easing of Burn Ban TALLAHASSEE -- Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Bob Crawford is lifting some, but not all, of the restrictions on outdoor burning in the state. The easing of the restrictions has been made possible by recent rain, which has done much to improve the wildfire situation statewide. The Departments Division of Forestry has reviewed conditions across the state and determined that because of the rain and the changes in fuel moisture and drought indexes, there was enough of an improvement to justify some relaxation. The following policy on outdoor burning will remain in effect until further notice:
Local district managers can enforce more stringent conditions based on local conditions, but cannot liberalize the conditions previously outlined. Crawford cautioned against adopting a false sense of security because of recent rains. "Although the rain has brought some relief to many areas, it has been spotty and varied in intensity," Crawford said. "We must remain cautious and vigilant until substantial rain is received on a sustained basis." Because of the drought conditions, without additional rain the present moisture levels cannot be expected to last. The Departments Division of Forestry will continue to monitor the situation based on available resources, incidents of escaped fires and weather conditions, and will re-evaluate outdoor burning and adjust policies as needed. -30- For more information: Liz Compton |
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