ST. LUCIE COUNTY – St. Lucie County Public Safety officials, in conjunction with the St. Lucie County Fire District, have issued a local state of emergency and a county-wide burn ban effective immediately due to the extremely dry conditions.

The burn ban applies to all non-permitted, outside burning. Agricultural burning will be permitted on a case-by-case basis as authorized by the Florida Forest Service. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) has increased to more than 600 in St. Lucie County. An index level between 500-549 is moderate; 550-649 is high; 650-699 is very high, and anything above 700 is extreme.

During the local state of emergency, the following activities shall be prohibited:

• All outdoor burning of any combustible material
• Bonfires
• Campfires
• Warming fires
• Outdoor fireplaces
• Fireworks
• Cooking fires, unless they are exclusively within a contained gas or charcoal grill.

Additionally, motorists are asked to use extreme caution and avoid keeping vehicles parked with the motor running or driving over dry, grassy areas.

As in previous years, the county officials will continue to monitor the situation on a weekly basis and take additional steps as needed until the drought index is once again satisfactory.