Dry conditions prompt Nassau County burn ban extension

Over the past few weeks, Nassau County has seen its fair share of wildfires.

Last month, Sky Action News Jax showed you a 705-acre fire.

Then, at the end of March, a 40-acre fire sparked in Yulee near Barnwell Road, and since then, Nassau has seen a handful of other smaller wildfires.

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There have been fires in other counties as well, but we asked Annaleasa Winter, with the Florida Forest Service, why it seems Nassau has gotten so many.

“The rainfall totals in Nassau County have been light in some areas. When the rain hits the vegetation, it's springtime,” Winter said.

She said because of the drier conditions, they haven’t been able to do any prescribed burns.

“These are prime conditions for wildfires; really, even after all the rainfall, even an hour after, you could still have a fire,” Winter said.

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She believes the last time they were able to safely do a prescribed burn in Nassau County was at the end of January or beginning of February, and it could be another few months before it’s safe again.

“We're holding off and waiting for possibly summertime prescribed burns,” Winter said.

One of the recent fires was thought to have been started by train sparks. Winter said about 1 to 2 percent of wildfires are caused by trains.

Cox Media Group