Leon County Burn Ban to Expire May 15 Following Significant Rainfall
The Leon County burn ban, which has been in effect since March 27, 2026, will expire today, Friday, May 15, at 5 p.m. following significant rainfall across the area that improved local conditions and reduced wildfire risk.
"On the recommendation of County Emergency Management and our fire experts, the temporary countywide burn ban will expire this afternoon,” said Leon County Commission Chairman Christian Caban. “I want to thank our residents and our first responders for the vigilance and cooperation they have shown since late March. The landscape remains dry, and we will continue to monitor conditions closely — I ask every resident to follow all Florida Forest Service rules and do their part to keep our community safe."
Several fire-risk indicators drove letting the ban expire:
Keetch-Byram Drought Index. KBDI is a 0-to-800 measure of how dry the soil and ground vegetation are. Higher numbers mean fires are easier to start and harder to control. Leon County's KBDI has fallen to 299, down from 442 one week ago and well below the values that drove the original temporary burn ban in late March.
Fire danger. The Florida Forest Service rates fire danger as Low across much of the State, with only pockets of Moderate — a marked shift from last week's statewide fire risk map.
FFS burn authorizations. The Florida Forest Service (FFS) has returned to normal operations for burn authorizations in the Leon County area. FFS is the state's permitting authority for open burning and routinely suspends or restricts authorizations when fire conditions warrant; their return to normal operations reflects the state's wildfire expert judgment that conditions support permitted burning under regular rules.
Active wildfire activity. No active wildfires have been reported in Leon County or the counties bordering Leon County (Gadsden, Jefferson, Wakulla, Liberty).
Statewide burn bans. Twenty-seven of Florida's 67 counties remain under burn ban, down from 50 at the time of the most recent extension. Of the four counties bordering Leon (Gadsden, Jefferson, Wakulla, Liberty), only Wakulla retains a ban according to FFS.
Rainfall. Significant rainfall has reached the region in recent days (nearly two inches), and the National Weather Service in Tallahassee forecasts continued chances of showers and thunderstorms across the coming week.
Outlook. Forecasters project drought conditions will begin to improve across Florida in June.
That is why the burn ban will expire on Friday, May 15, at 5 p.m.
Leon County also encourages residents to remain vigilant with any outdoor burning. Florida Forest Service permitting authority continues to govern open burning under state law, and the County retains the ability to reissue a declaration should conditions warrant and fire experts recommend.
For more information, please contact Mathieu Cavell, Leon County Community and Media Relations, at (850) 606-5300 / CMR@LeonCountyFL.gov.
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