BRADENTON, Fla. — Wildfires kept local fire districts extremely busy in Manatee County over the weekend. Extreme heat and a lack of rain continue to plague the Tampa Bay area with drought conditions.
On Monday, the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners issued a burn ban. That ban includes all open fire and the use of fireworks and sprinklers and is set to expire June 15.
“Prohibiting fireworks, open burning, just to make sure that even those little sparks, it’s one less fire, one less hazard that can affect not only life but property and the environment,” Manatee County Chief of Emergency Management Matthew Myers said.
Wind conditions were so concerning on Sunday that fire districts county-wide began notifying the Florida Forest Service Myakka River District immediately for every fire call they got.
Crews were able to work together to knock out these fires without any of them growing large, but the Forest Service remained concerned about the situation.
“We are concerned with people not realizing just how dry it is out here,” said Patrick Mahoney, wildfire mitigation specialist and spokesperson with the Florida Forest Service. "It is extremely dry out here, and it doesn’t take much,” Mahoney said.
The Myakka River District has responded to more than 25 active fires in the past week. The district covers Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, DeSoto, and Hardee counties.
Residents are being asked to be extremely cautious when doing anything that could generate heat or a spark. Mahoney suggested mowing the lawn before 10 a.m. when the humidity is still low and now wielding anything without having a spotter.
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
