PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — A burn ban is in effect in Putnam County after a 300-acre brush fire threatened homes over the weekend.
Local fire officials told Action News Jax that fire has been contained, but not before it forced the evacuation of 20 homes.
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“There were people that had videos of the fire right up to their back door,” Putnam County Commission Chair Leota Wilkinson said.
Wilkinson explained violating the burn ban could land you a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.
While residents can still use grills for cooking, things like camp fires or burning trash and yard waste are forbidden.
“We need people to understand, you think you have a controlled environment, but it just takes one shift of the wind with everything being so dry right now that we just need people to be mindful of what they’re doing,” Wilkinson said.
Just minutes after wrapping up our interview with Chair Wilkinson, Action News Jax got word of yet another brush fire.
When we arrived on scene in Georgetown, crews were still actively responding around 1:40 p.m. Monday.
There we spoke with Deputy County Administrator JR Grimes, who oversees fire rescue in Putnam County.
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“This one was actually spotted by our fire rescue crews out doing a preplan,” Grimes said.
Grimes said the fire Monday was quickly contained and posed no risk to nearby homes.
Its cause is still under investigation, but Grimes argued it should still serve as a reminder to local residents just how dangerous current conditions are.
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“Let’s wait for it to get a little moisture and just remember you can always haul it to a landfill or put it beside the road for the refuge company to pick up,” Grimes said. ”So, let’s not burn for the next couple of weeks.”
Grimes said the need for the burn ban will be revisited next Monday.
He said there is a chance of rain later in the week, which provides some hope conditions might improve soon.
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