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Does your burn area look like this?
| What
is yard waste?
Yard waste is
generated and burned on the property it originates and
consists of tree limbs, scrub trimmings, palm fronds and
other brush.
Citizens cannot burn household garbage; paper
products; plastics; treated wood; tires; cardboard;
packing material; cloth; glass; street sweepings;
pesticide, paint or aerosol containers and/or
construction, renovation, demolition, rubber or roofing
materials among other items.
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MCFR firefighters
extinguish an illegal backyard fire in southwest Marion
County. |
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Firefighters battle a
wildfire in the Moss Bluff area. |
The
Container
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Use a non-combustible metal
barrel or stone pit to contain your fire.
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Or clear an
area to bare soil
and remove all flammable materials
around the pile including grass to
prevent the fire from spreading into
unburned areas. This pile cannot exceed eight
feet in diameter. |
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The
Set-Backs
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To ensure safety, make sure the burn pile
is the proper distance away from the following areas:
- 150 feet from neighboring structures
- 50 feet from paved public roadways
- 25 feet from your house or other combustible
structures
- 25 feet from forest or brush
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150 feet is half the size of a football
field. Most people who live in a subdivision will not meet
the required setbacks to burn safely and legally.
Firefighters encourage citizens to use a range finder,
distance wheel or tape measure to accurately determine
distances. |
The
Conditions
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Monitor weather forecasts and
delay backyard burning during windy conditions,
“red flag*” warnings and voluntary or
mandatory burn bans
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Never leave a burn
pile unattended for any reason, and
make sure it doesn’t produce
smoke, soot, odors, heat, flames
or other conditions that creates a
nuisance to others (as determined by Marion County
Fire-Rescue)
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Start burning after 9:00 a.m.
and extinguished the burn pile one hour before sunset
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* The National Weather Services issues “red
flag” warnings based on predicted high winds and low humidity. The
Florida Division of Forestry may restrict authorization of burn
permits on “red flag” days.
The
Truth and Consequences
| The
Truth
Firefighters fight a 20-acre
grass fire in the Silver Springs Shores area.
The
Consequences |
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Illegal backyard burning is
one of the leading causes of fires in Florida.
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The Florida Division of
Forestry is responsible for issuing burn permits for large burns including agriculture, silvicultural and land clearing
operations. For more information on the permitting process,
call (352) 955-2010.
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Marion County’s burn
ordinance, updated in May of 2006, mirrors Florida state laws, ensuring consistency of information and enforcement
policies.
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Marion County has a Multi-Agency Wildland Task Force composed of local, state and federal firefighters that meets regularly to discuss
wildfire conditions and fire tactics. This unique and
cooperative effort initiated in 1998 maximizes efficiency
and ensures a prompt and coordinated response to wildfires.
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A citizen who starts a backyard fire is ultimately responsible for any damage it
may cause. Marion County Fire-Rescue may also charge
citizens for fire suppression operations, a cost that could
range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of
dollars depending on the size of the illegal fire and amount
of resources needed to extinguish it.
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This effort holds citizens
accountable for carelessness. It only takes one illegal
burn, one citizen’s negligence, to spark a significant
wildfire that can have a devastating impact on Marion
County.
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First Offense*
$50 Fine
Second and Subsequent Offense*
$130 Fine |
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Unpaid citations could impact a citizen’s
credit rating and result in legal action.
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The Division of Forestry and
U.S. Forest Service firefighters work with Marion County
firefighters to control an 80 to 100 acre brush fire in Ft.
McCoy. |
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