It was enacted in response to public safety concerns about the dangerously high risk of wildfires in Polk County. The extremely dry conditions are the result of the ongoing drought. The dead vegetation produced by the severe cold weather in December and January further compounds the problem. Currently, the only permits being issued are by the State of Florida for agricultural burning. Such permits are only issued when weather conditions are favorable for controlled burning.
Weather forecasts offer little relief from the extremely dry conditions in the near future.
It is expected that the potential for serious wildfires will remain high for the next several weeks. The Florida Division of Forestry reports that the Drought Index is averaging over 600. In the Northeast portion of the County, the Index is over 700. Under the scale being used, the maximum is 800. Since the first of the year, wildfires throughout Polk County have burned more than 20,000 acres and created dangerous conditions on local highways.