Hernando County keeps burn ban as drought conditions remain severe

Hernando County residents are still under a countywide burn ban, and officials are warning that the restriction will not lift until the drought eases enough to lower fire danger across the county. The immediate message for Brooksville and the rest of Hernando County is simple: keep treating the ground as dry, avoid anything that could spark a fire, and do not assume one rainy afternoon has changed the conditions.

Deputy fire chief Kristian Sloane told county commissioners on May 12 that the ban should remain in place after the county’s Keetch-Byram Drought Index reached 638 on May 11, a level he said fell in the severe category. Commissioner Jerry Campbell pointed to an earlier reading of 601, underscoring how quickly conditions had worsened rather than improved. Commissioner Brian Hawkins also noted that later-season rain could return, but county officials said the county was still dealing with a dangerous moisture deficit that could let a spark spread fast.

The county first imposed the burn ban on April 14, 2026, after a spike in brush fires. Officials had briefly lifted an earlier countywide ban on March 10 after rainfall, then reimposed the restriction when conditions deteriorated again. On April 13, the county said the KBDI had already reached 509 and was still rising. The county says the ban remains in effect until further notice.

The practical impact is immediate for residents and property owners. Burning yard debris remains restricted, and county officials have urged people not to toss lit cigarettes carelessly or drive vehicles onto dry grass, two everyday actions that can ignite a fast-moving fire in severe drought conditions. Hernando County Fire Rescue continues to direct residents to the burn-ban notice and fire-safety information, while county officials are keeping the focus on prevention instead of cleanup.

State and regional data show why the county has stayed cautious. The Florida Forest Service listed Hernando County at 553 on May 15, and it still appeared among counties with county-enacted burn bans as of May 14. The U.S. Drought Monitor’s April 14 map showed drought conditions affecting all of Hernando County’s population, and the county was also under a Modified Phase III “Extreme” Water Shortage. Hernando County’s environment plan says about 30% of the county is in conservation, including the Withlacoochee State Forest and Weeki Wachee Preserve, so wildfire risk reaches far beyond individual neighborhoods.