The St. Johns River Water Management District is enacting a burn ban for all district-owned properties effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice, the district announced on Wednesday, April 26.
The burn ban is necessary due to prolonged dry conditions that are favorable to wildfire.
The burn ban prohibits open burning, including campfires, bonfires, trash burning and any other incineration on district property and applies to all visitors, including campers currently on property and those with permits for future dates.
Many counties have also enacted similar bans across Florida.
“We work hard to provide access to quality recreational opportunities on district lands and understand camping and camp fires are a big part of that experience for many,” said St. Johns River Water Management District Executive Director Dr. Ann Shortelle in a press release. “We are calling on all visitors to our lands to work with us to decrease the chance of wildfires during these extremely dry conditions. Our staff continues to work with partnering agencies to combat wildfires across the state, and we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to mitigate the dangers until conditions improve.”
The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five districts in Florida managing groundwater and surface water supplies in the state.
The district encompasses all or part of 18 northeast and east-central Florida counties. District headquarters are in Palatka, and staff is also available to serve the public at service centers in Maitland, Jacksonville and Palm Bay.
More information about the burn ban is available online at www.sjrwmd.com.
