Florida Forest Service reminds residents about outdoor burning laws

ISLAMORADA, Village of Islands – The Florida Forest Service is reminding residents of Islamorada and across the state about the regulations surrounding outdoor burning, emphasizing that escaped debris burning remains a leading cause of wildfires in Florida. The agency administers Florida’s outdoor burning and forest fire laws.

While burning yard waste does not require specific authorization, residents must adhere to established rules. Yard waste is defined as any vegetative debris resulting from yard maintenance, including grass clippings, brush, leaves, tree limbs, and palm fronds.

To burn yard waste without authorization, individuals must meet required setbacks and ensure no local, city, or county ordinances prohibit burning. The yard waste must have been generated on the property and fit within an 8-foot diameter pile or a non-combustible container. Fires must be ignited after 8:00 a.m. Central Time or 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time and extinguished one hour before sunset.

For larger fires, specifically piles exceeding 8 feet in diameter, an authorization from the Florida Forest Service is mandatory. These larger burns also require suppression equipment to be on hand and may involve additional setback requirements.

The Florida Forest Service also clarified that certain types of burning always require authorization. These include agricultural, silvicultural, land clearing, and acreage burns. It is illegal to burn household garbage, which includes paper products, as well as treated lumber, plastics, rubber materials, tires, pesticides, paint, and aerosol containers.

Residents are advised to take precautions to prevent fires from spreading. This includes clearing an area down to bare soil around the burn pile and covering non-combustible containers with wire mesh to contain sparks.

For specific questions regarding outdoor burning regulations in Islamorada or to check for local restrictions, residents should contact their local Florida Forest Service office. The agency provides field headquarters and district offices throughout the state to assist the public.