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Suwannee County imposes temporary burn ban as drought and wildfire risk rise
Summary
Facing a severe drought and rising wildfire activity, the Suwannee County Commission unanimously approved a temporary countywide burn ban effective immediately through 10:00 p.m. May 5; Fire Chief Miller also established a staffed wildfire strike team to patrol high-risk hours.
Suwannee County commissioners unanimously voted April 21 to impose a temporary burn ban effective immediately through 10:00 p.m. May 5, citing elevated drought conditions and recent wildfire activity.
Belinda Zeck of Live Oak urged the board during public comment to act, describing recent fires, an unattended 20-foot burn pile near her route and what she said were insufficient public warnings. "We all know we're in a severe drought," she told commissioners and asked the Fire Chief and county leaders to consider a ban and stepped-up public education.
Chief Miller briefed the board on daily wildfire conferencing with forestry partners and recommended immediate action. The chief said the county’s KBDI drought index was in the mid-560s that morning and reported the fire service had been asked for resources by neighboring counties. To improve response, he said the department would staff a wildfire strike team — an urban-wildland interface engine, an extra tanker and a brush truck — to operate during high fire-weather hours (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.).
"I'm upstaffing what I call a wildfire strike team ... and that crew ... will be strictly roaming this county, respond to every single brush fire page that comes out," Chief Miller said. He recommended a temporary burn ban with a set expiration at the next commission meeting to give citizens notice and to allow the board to reassess.
Commissioner Fleming moved to impose the burn ban through May 5; Commissioner Hale seconded. The motion passed 5–0, and the chair instructed the chief to notify the public through the county’s normal channels.
In addition to the ban, the chief publicized two community items: a "push-in" ceremony for a new ladder truck at Fire Station Four on April 29 and a plan to award three EMT scholarships to local graduating seniors, which the board later approved as a zero-budget-impact program because seats were being provided through a partner organization.
The ban will be revisited at the May 5 commission meeting, when the board can vote to extend it, let it expire, or modify conditions based on updated fire-weather information.
