MANATEE COUNTY, FL (June 10, 2024) – Despite recent rains, local drought conditions persist, and because of this, the Manatee Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted during an emergency session this afternoon to extend a ban on all outdoor burning and the use and discharge of fireworks and sparklers in the county.
“We are asking for another seven days,” said Manatee County Director of Public Safety Jodie Fiske. “We are looking at the forecast for 8-12 inches of rain going through the week, but we do want to make sure we are doing our due diligence and keep this burn ban in effect.”
The ban includes items containing any "explosive compound," sparklers, any item or product using or containing any amount of pyrotechnic composition, flares, open burning and campfires because of the increasingly dry conditions in the county.
This burn ban extension—approved by a 4-0 vote with Commissioners Kruse and Rahn absent—will be in effect until 11:59 p.m., June 17, 2024, unless extended as allowed by law.