As of Sunday, April 19, a burn ban is in effect for the City of Venice due to local drought conditions and an increased chance of fire hazards.

This burn ban issued by Venice Fire Rescue mirrors a countywide ban issued tonight by the Sarasota County Fire Department.

Under Sarasota County’s burn ban ordinance (Sarasota County Code Section 58-2), burn bans automatically go into effect countywide and prohibit almost all open burning when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) meets or exceeds 500.

Fire pits/cooking pits are not permitted. Outdoor cooking fires in approved grills such as gas or charcoal BBQ grills are permitted; however, extreme caution is urged with these devices as well. Remember to not leave a grill unattended and make sure coals are completely cooled before disposing.

The citywide burn ban prohibits all outdoor burning that has not been specifically permitted by the Florida Forest Service. Bonfires, campfires, and the burning of vegetative (yard) debris is not allowed. Should a wildfire erupt, nearby residents are urged to follow directions from authorities. This may include evacuations of localized areas.

The burn ban will automatically lift after the drought index falls below 500 for seven consecutive days. This announcement will be made on venicegov.com and scgov.net, on City of Venice and Sarasota County social media pages, and via local news media outlets.

We ask all residents to stay vigilant during these dry conditions and to take the following actions to protect their families and homes from fire danger:

Create three zones of defensible space around your home or business.

Clear trash and dead vegetation from the yard.

Remove leaves and debris from roof, gutters and under decks.