COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. -- County officials are taking water restrictions a step further asking you to not only consider when you water but also when you mow your lawn.
A recent tweet from the Calooshatchee Forestry Center said Collier County is suggesting its residents mow their lawns before 10 a.m. to eliminate sparking a wildfire.
The request isn't so far fetched after investigators ruled a recent fire in North Fort Myers was sparked by a lawn mower. A commercial lawn service was cutting grass near the corner of Pritchett Parkway and Rich Road when the flames ignited. The fire spread about 5 acres before crews put it out.
Officials want to remind residents that something as small as a cigarette butt can start a wildfire and to take extra precautions while we are in a drought.
Several cities are under mandatory water restrictions. Cape Coral has its employees looking for people violating the once-a-week watering restriction.
"If the water level reaches a certain point, these pumps will shut down and we will no longer be able to supply adequate pressure to those fire hydrants that are out there and that's just not a risk we can take now," said spokesperson Connie Barron.
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Tony Curella, FAS for #CollierCounty, suggests mowing lawns before 10 AM to eliminate sparking a #wildfire. Check local code enforcement b4. pic.twitter.com/hkwm8GNthu
— Caloosahatchee FC (@FFS_cafc) May 19, 2017
