- December 16, 2025
*The following is adapted from a county release.
With drought conditions worsening and Florida’s dry season in full swing, home owners are reminded to use extreme caution when burning leaves and other material.
In the unincorporated areas of Flagler County, burning yard waste does not require a permit, but there are state laws that must be followed. Grass clippings, leaves, tree limbs and palm fronds that result from yard maintenance can be burned under the following conditions:
• The fire must be eight feet in diameter, or less or in a burn barrel; larger fires require a permit from the Florida Forest Service.
• The fire must be 50 feet from a paved public road access.
• 25 feet from your home and 150 feet from other occupied structures.
• Fires cannot be started until after 9 a.m. and out an hour before sundown.
• It is illegal to burn household garbage including paper products, treated lumber, plastics, rubber materials, tires, pesticides, paint and aerosol containers.
“The most important thing, to remember is never leave a fire unattended and always have a charged water hose nearby,” Fire Rescue Chief Don Petito said. “Florida law holds the person starting the fire responsible for any damage from a fire.”
There are currently no plans to issue a burn ban.
“Right now, we are asking people to be very careful,” Petito said. “Conditions are slowly becoming worse and we want to avoid having problems.”
Now is the time to prepare your home for the upcoming wildfire season. Clean the gutters and remove dead or dried landscaping. Trim any low hanging branches from trees as they may become fuel for an approaching fire. Keep a 30 foot buffer around your house by removing any flammable material and be careful if using fire for any reason.
