NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 15, 2026

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 15, 2026 Contact: Jessica Welch, Office of Public Services (850) 926-0919 Wakulla County Declares a Local State of Emergency Implementing a County-Wide Burn Ban Crawfordville, Florida – On April 15, 2026 during a Special Board Meeting, the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioners declared a Local State of Emergency implementing a County-Wide Burn Ban as a proactive measure to prevent escalation of wildfire risk. The County has determined that the current drought conditions and increasing fire potential is a public safety hazard that would be exacerbated by outdoor burning activities. During the Local State of Emergency, the following activities are prohibited in all of Wakulla County: - Outdoor burning of any combustible material, including but not limited to: yard waste, household paper products, bonfires and campfires, warming fires, outdoor fireplaces and chimneys, and cooking fires not contained within approved grills; and - Any outdoor activity creating flames or sparks capable of ignition, including but not limited to: fireworks, sparklers, and other incendiary devices. The following activities are exempt from the prohibition: - Cooking food completely contained within an enclosed gas or charcoal grill. - Firefighter training conducted by Wakulla County Fire Rescue or state or federal agencies. - Burn operations approved by the Florida Forest Service. This declared Local State of Emergency and Burn Ban shall remain in effect until April 22, 2026 and may be extended in seven (7) day increments as conditions warrant. For additional information related to this release, please contact Wakulla County Fire Rescue at (850) 745-8698.