VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia County fire officials are sounding the alarm and bringing in extra staff in case wildfires break out across the area.
The county is now officially under a burn ban as the drought index continues to climb.
Volusia County Fire Rescue Chief Joe King said the community can help lower the threat by not burning anything, throwing out cigarettes or even cooking. He said everything is so dry that even the smallest spark could cause big issues.
“Right now, any brush fire we would get, we are sending double what we would normally send. So additional battalions, additional trucks just to get that quick response,” said King.
Fires have already been an issue since Sunday. A cooking fire caused 20 cars to burn at a campground, sending smoke into the air during the Daytona 500.
At the same time, a massive brush fire broke out on I-95 and closed the highway in both directions.
Last night in DeLand, crews battled a fire on Banana Street that damaged 2 metal buildings that are used to house ferns.
King said the threat will worsen in the coming days.
“I usually hate saying this, but if you see smoke or flames, call 911. Now’s the time—if you see it, you’re better off calling 911,” said King.
Large piles of brush can be seen in yards across the county, King said. If you missed your community’s pickup day, you should still bundle it up and move it away from your house.
“Take it to a landfill transfer station, get it off your property,” said King.
Both Volusia and Flagler counties are under a burn ban. If you violate it, you can be fined up to 500 dollars and spend up to 60 days in jail.
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