The Florida Forest Service’s Lakeland District will conduct its annual Citrus Spot Burner Workshop on October 1 at 9:00 a.m. at Polk County Extension Service, 1702 U.S. Highway 17 South, Bartow, FL 33830. The program is intended to aid grove managers by allowing citrus pile burns during high fire occurrence days. All participants must attend the workshop in order to take advantage of the program.
The workshop will cover smoke management practices, recent changes in burning rules and regulations, and a discussion of owner/burner concerns. A site inspection for approving the burn sites can be arranged after the meeting.
The following is a review of the requirements of the program:
1. Complete an application for each location.
2. Provide a map of the grove with Section, Township and Range on 8½ x 11 paper (several maps can be used to cover larger areas)
3. All pre-approved burn sites must be interior grove sites at least 400 feet from any combustible fuels and comply with setback restrictions as outlined in Statue 590. Latitude and Longitude coordinates are required for all approved sites.
4. Attend the annual Citrus Spot Burner workshop every year.
The Florida Forest Service encourages your participation in the program. The ability to receive a burn authorization on marginal days could be a great benefit to the grove manager.
Please feel free to call, should you have any questions. Respond to:
Florida Forest Service
5745 S. Florida Ave
Lakeland, Florida 33813
(863) 940-6701