Press release from Alachua County
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – After reviewing Alachua County’s current wildland fire conditions, a series of active wildfires today, Jan. 30, 2026, and in consultation with the Florida Forest Service, a mandatory countywide burn ban has been issued. The burn ban will remain in effect until Friday, Feb. 6, 2026.
Several factors, including weather conditions, are used to determine whether to activate and deactivate county-wide burn bans. Two of those factors are the KBDI and FDI scores.
- Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) – estimates the dryness of the soil and duff layers
- Fire Danger Indices (FDI) – potential for a fire to start and require suppression activities
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Alachua County’s KBDI value has increased to the range of (500-549), which places the County at risk for wildland fire spread…