Pensacola Times

As Escambia County progresses into the warmer months, Escambia County Fire Rescue urges residents to practice wildfire safety and use preventative measures to avoid creating wildfires.

As of March 22, the Florida Forest Service has Escambia County at a moderate risk for wildfires. Recently, wildfires have occurred in Cantonment and Walnut Hill.

"ECFR encourages residents to know the burn regulations for proper distance from other flammable materials and structures," said Fire and Life Specialist Ray Melton. "Only small yard debris is permitted to be burned with a water source available. You should never leave any fire unattended. Additionally, children should not be near any outdoor burning, grills or other types of outdoor recreational fires. Pets and children should have a three-foot safety zone around outdoor cooking equipment and campfires. When camping, always carry extra water or a fire extinguisher to extinguish fires."

If citizens choose to utilize outdoor burning as a method to remove vegetative debris, ECFR offers these outdoor burning regulation tips:

• It is illegal to burn household garbage (including paper products), treated lumber, rubber materials, tires, pesticides, paint and aerosol containers.
• Dry vegetative debris such as grass clippings, pine straw, leaves, tree limbs, and shrub trimmings can be legally burned between 8 a.m. and one hour before sunset if it is in a pile not larger than eight feet in diameter and located:
  • 25 feet from any forested area (grasslands, brush or wildlands)
  • 25 feet from your home or other combustible structure
  • 50 feet from any paved or public roadway
  • 150 feet from any occupied dwelling other than your own home

To ensure that a backyard debris burn is really out, citizens are encouraged to follow these steps:

• Drown the fire with water, turn over the ashes with a shovel and drown it again.
• Check the burn area regularly over the next several days.
• At the onset of warn, dry weather, especially when accompanied by wind, check the burn area again, even if it is a weeks after the burn.

Escambia County Fire Rescue proudly operates as a combination fire service, utilizing the talents and diversities of volunteer and career firefighting personnel. Career personnel operate in 14 stations throughout the county. 13 stations work a 48/96-hour shift, and two stations work Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteer firefighters operate out of numerous stations throughout Escambia County. Escambia County Fire Rescue also provides other emergency services such as hazardous materials response, special operations and ALS non-transport. Learn more about how to join Escambia County Fire Rescue. Follow Escambia County Fire Rescue on Facebook.

Original source can be found here.