Sarasota's burn ban applies to personal fireworks, fire official says

Given the state of recent weather forecasts, it may not rain on your Fourth of July plans, but those same dry conditions prompted Sarasota County fire officials to remind residents that a burn ban has been effect since mid-April, and it applies to the use of personal fireworks and sparklers.

“That is for the safety of everybody who is in the county to help prevent brushfires from getting started or getting worse. It helps us keep from having fires spread to things we don’t want to have problems with for the public,’’ said Philip Peickert, an assistant fire chief with Sarasota County.

He said if the fire department is alerted to the use of personal fireworks, crews will respond and put them out. 

“We don’t want the situation where law enforcement has to come out," Peickert said. 

Although sparklers are often viewed as harmless, they can burn at temperatures exceeding 1,200 degrees and are capable of igniting vegetation.

Beyond fireworks, the county said other forms of outdoor burning are not permitted either. Among them: Campfires, bonfires, unpermitted controlled burns, burning of yard and household trash, burning of construction debris and burning of organic debris.

“At this point, we just want everyone to be as safe as they can,’’ Peickert said, adding cigarette butts thrown from a car window can also be an ignition source.

Not to worry, though. 

Manatee County is under a similar burn ban. 

Professional fireworks displays are scheduled throughout the area.