Press release from Alachua County
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – After reviewing Alachua County’s current wildland fire conditions and in consultation with state officials, the mandatory countywide burn ban has been extended and will remain in effect through May 15, 2026.
Alachua County remains under a State of Emergency declaration due to multiple active wildfires throughout the county. Continued historic drought conditions and the lack of rainfall over the past week have increased the county’s Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) levels, sustaining a high wildfire risk. The KBDI is a continuous reference scale for estimating the dryness of the soil and duff layers.Alachua County remains one of the driest counties in the state, with 11% of the county falling within the highest KBDI range of 701-800. The other 89% falls within the second-highest range of 601–700. These levels indicate extreme dryness, extreme fire danger, and the potential for rapid fire spread. Under these conditions, fires can burn intensely, penetrate deep into the ground and produce significant downwind spotting.
As a result, the countywide burn ban remains in effect and residents are urged to exercise extreme caution and report any active fire immediately…