A burn ban is now in effect for unregulated fires for all of Hendry County as dry weather conditions impact the area.
Hendry now joins with Sarasota County as the only two full burn bans across Florida. Additionally, Punta Gorda has put a watering limitation into effect.
An unregulated fire means any outdoor fire, other than a cook fire, which is not permitted by a governmental agency. Outdoor fires include, but are not limited to, bonfires, campfires or burning of yard debris.
Those who violate the burn ban can be subject to a civil fine or charged with a misdemeanor based on the nature of the violation.
Drought monitor
To obtain a burn permit for commercial or contractor services only, contact the Florida Forest Service at 239-690-8001.
To report a burn ban violation, contact the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at 863-674-5600 or Hendry County Code Enforcement at 863-675-5247.
The burn ban is in effect until further notice.
Sarasota County also activated a burn ban.
Under Sarasota County’s burn ban ordinance (Sarasota County Code Section 58-2), burn bans automatically go into effect countywide and prohibit almost all open burning when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) meets or exceeds 500.
All outdoor burning is prohibited unless a permit has been issued and is applicable for the unincorporated areas of Sarasota County and the City of Sarasota.
Exceptions to this include cooking on barbeque grills or pits that do not exceed three feet in diameter and two feet in height, or any other valid state or county-authorized burn.
The burn ban will automatically lift after the drought index falls below 500 for seven consecutive days. This announcement will be made on scgov.net, on Sarasota County social media pages and local news media outlets.
Punta Gorda
In response to the ongoing drought conditions and increased demand on Punta Gorda’s potable water supply, the city's Council Wednesday enacted an emergency ordinance to implement water conservation measures, establishing a mandatory irrigation schedule restricting the watering of established lawns and landscaping to once per week.
The City’s water conservation measures align with the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s regulations and are intended to ensure sustainable water usage during this period of high demand.
The new watering schedule is as follows:
- Mondays – Addresses ending in 0 or 1
- Tuesdays – Addresses ending in 2 or 3
- Wednesdays – Addresses ending in 4 or 5
- Thursdays – Addresses ending in 6 or 7
- Fridays – Addresses ending in 8 or 9 or locations with no addresses
- Saturdays – Addresses ending in a letter or locations without a discernable address
Certain activities, such as hand watering of landscaping, car washing, and pressure washing, will be allowed provided they are conducted efficiently using a shutoff nozzle. Additionally, newly installed lawns may be watered daily for the first 30 days following installation.
Violations of the ordinance will be enforced in accordance with Chapter 17, Article III, Sections 17-23 and 17-24 of the Punta Gorda Code. The emergency ordinance will remain in effect for 180 days unless extended or repealed by the City Council.
“The City of Punta Gorda is committed to protecting our water resources and ensuring our residents have access to sustainable water supply,” said the City Manager. “We appreciate the community’s cooperation in adhering to these necessary conservation measures.”
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