Collier County Manager Leo Ochs has authorized a burn ban in Collier County effective immediately. Per Collier County Ordinance 2013-22, the County Manager may institute an immediate ban of outdoor burning and outdoor ignition sources during extreme drought conditions. The ban prohibits open burning, which is any outdoor fire or open combustion of material that produces visible emissions, of trash and yard waste, which includes vegetative matter resulting from landscaping and yard maintenance operations. The decision came after a meeting between the Collier County Bureau of Emergency Services, Florida Forest Service, Collier County Fire Chiefs’ Association and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. The group jointly identified a need to have a burning ban become effective immediately after certain environmental conditions were met, including lack of rainfall in January and February. The ban includes all unincorporated Collier County, but exempts all commercial agricultural burning, lawful controlled industrial or commercial environments that are part of the manufacturing or some type of assembly process, and those burning activities regulated by the Florida Forest Service. This ban presently has no impact on the retail sales of fireworks, although residents are reminded to use extreme caution. In addition, outdoor grills, stoves, cookers and smokers may be used in the preparation of food if the cooking fire is controlled and attended to. All outdoor cooking areas shall be free of burnable materials within an area having a circumference of 3 feet beyond the nearest edge of the cooking fire. Violation of the order, if it is found to cause irreparable or irreversible damage, can be up to $15,000. The ban will remain in effect until May 12 or until otherwise rescinded. For more information, please call Mike Sheffield at (239) 252-8383 or email MichaelSheffield@colliergov.net.