Nassau Declares Emergency, Burn Ban Amid Drought

A week-long Local State of Emergency and a countywide burn ban took effect Wednesday after the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners acted on worsening drought conditions and an extended lack of rain in the forecast.

Public safety officials warned commissioners that current weather patterns are creating a high-risk environment for fast-moving fires. Nassau County Fire Rescue Chief Brady Rigdon said conditions are expected to deteriorate further in the coming days.

“There's no relief in sight. We're not forecasting any significant rain at all for at least the next two weeks,” Rigdon told the board. “The relative humidity levels are about to drop this weekend, there's a dry front that's coming through that's going to make things even drier, and if there's any wind associated with that then the potential for a fire to get out of hand is even greater with those conditions.”

The emergency declaration will remain in place for seven days, with commissioners set to revisit the issue next week to determine whether an extension is necessary. A special meeting has been scheduled for April 22 at 9 a.m. to consider continuing the burn ban.

Under Resolution 2026-080, approved at Wednesday’s meeting, all outdoor burning is prohibited effective immediately. The only exception is for burns specifically authorized by permit through the Florida Forest Service. The ban does not apply to cooking on attended and properly monitored barbecue equipment.

The burn ban comes as Nassau County remains under a Phase II Severe Water Shortage, as designated by the St. Johns River Water Management District.

Those restrictions significantly limit outdoor water use:

• Irrigation is allowed just one day per week, with a maximum of one hour per zone
• Watering is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Residents are urged to delay new landscaping that would require additional watering
• Aesthetic water uses, such as fountains and decorative ponds, are not permitted
• The rules apply to all water sources, including private wells and surface water

The county’s current watering schedule is:

• Odd-numbered addresses: Saturday
• Even-numbered addresses: Sunday
• Businesses and non-residential properties: Tuesday