Polk County lifts burn ban after recent rains

Polk County repealed its burn ban Thursday because of a recent increase in rain.

Residents in unincorporated Polk are allowed to light up campfires, bonfires, fireworks, unpermitted controlled burns, burning of yard, household and construction debris.The county had been under a two-month burn ban because of dry conditions. Polk County Fire Rescue declared a ban March 31 shortly after a brushfire scorched about 1,000 acres near River Ranch, destroying about 200 outbuildings.

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Less than half of Polk is averaging over 500 on the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, a continuous reference scale used by the Florida Forest Service to assess the likelihood and severity of brushfires. The scale ranges from zero to 800, which reflects extreme danger.

The burn ban may be reinstated if ground conditions get dry again.