- • Avoid any open flames or sparks.
- • Do NOT burn anything outdoors.
- • Keep vehicles off dry grass.
- • Properly discard cigarettes—do NOT throw them on the ground.
Burn Ban Reminder: Highlands County remains under a burn ban until March 20th. Even with recent rain, conditions remain dangerously dry, increasing the risk of wildfires.
Any person who refuses to comply or violates this burn ban shall be punished according to the law. This misdemeanor offense is punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 or by imprisonment by a term not to exceed 60 days in the county jail or both.
HIGHLANDS COUNTY IS UNDER A BURN BAN THROUGH MARCH 20, 2025!
No burning, residential or otherwise of any kind, may occur without a state of Florida Forest Service permit.
The burn ban includes, but is not limited to, all outdoor burning:
- • Yard trash, vegetation, grass
- • Lumber, trees
- • Household paper products
- • Debris
All bonfires, campfires, warming fires, fires in outdoor fireplaces, outdoor pyrotechnic displays, and open cooking fires are also prohibited.
Cooking on a contained gas or charcoal grill is allowed.
Activities authorized by Florida Forest Service is allowed.
The burn ban applies to all unincorporated areas of Highlands County, including Lorida and Venus, and the special districts of Sun ‘n Lake Improvement District and Spring Lake Improvement District, and the municipalities of Avon Park, Lake Placid and Sebring.
The burn ban is in effect for 30 days through March 20, unless extended by the Board of County Commissioners.
