PANAMA CITY — The Florida Forest Service is urging residents to use caution after a recent small wildfire in south Walton County.
Emergency personnel from the Forest Service and local firefighters responded to the fire in Freeport last week where a resident burning debris in his yard lost control of some of the flaming refuse. There were no injuries or significant damage in the incident, according to the Forest Service, and the fire was quickly extinguished.
Residents are allowed to burn debris including tree limbs, sticks and leaves, but must follow guidelines established by the Forest Service.
Burns must be located at least 25 feet from forests and a resident’s own home, and must be at least 150 feet from roads and other occupied buildings. Burns may take place after 8 a.m. and must be extinguished an hour before sunset. Waste must be burned in a pile no larger than 8 feet in diameter or in a non-combustible container. It is illegal to burn household garbage, plastics, rubber materials, pesticides and aerosol containers.
“It’s a right that they have, and we want to encourage them do it as long as they follow those rules,” said Brian Goddin, wildfire mitigation specialist with the Forest Service.
Goddin said residents also should check for burn bans before starting a fire, and that fires should be monitored closely with water or other fire-suppressing materials nearby.
Florida averages one wildfire a day, according to the Forest Service. About 75 percent of wildfires in the state are caused by people, typically through arson or escaped debris, such as the June 13 fire in Freeport.
The Forest Service responded to a natural wildfire in Bay County last weekend. Goddin said the small blaze was caused by heat and dry vegetation, and affected less than an acre of land. It was contained later that day.
Higher-than-average rainfall during the early months of the year reduced the potential for spring wildfires in the Florida Panhandle, according to the Forest Service’s seasonal fire outlook, which analyzes weather patterns and other conditions affecting wildfires. An updated seasonal fire outlook will be released by the Forest Service during the first week of July.