DESOTO COUNTY, Fla. — DeSoto County has battled 52 fires in just 18 days despite a burn ban that has been in effect since November, prompting an urgent plea from the county's fire chief for residents to stop all burning activities.
WATCH: Fox 4's Eric Lovelace spoke to the county's fire chief with an urgent message:
The entire county is experiencing an extreme drought, the second-worst level possible, according to Chad Jorgensen, DeSoto County's fire chief who has been fighting fires in the area for 40 years.
"In my recent memory, this is the worst I've seen it," Jorgensen said.
According to FOX 4 Certified Meteorologist Katie Walls, this marks the county's worst drought in 25 years.
Jorgensen emphasized the severity of the current conditions and expressed concern that residents may not fully grasp the danger.
"I just feel like they don't understand how dire the drought is," Jorgensen said.
The fire chief warned that even small activities that were previously considered safe are now extremely hazardous due to the dry conditions.
"They're used to doing small fires and it's no big deal, but everything right now is primed and ready to light off and that includes grass," Jorgensen said.
Arcadia has received less than 3 inches of rain since November 1, and with three months of dry season remaining, Jorgensen stressed the critical importance of following the burn ban.
"It's dangerous, and it's dangerous for everybody, please heed the call, don't burn," Jorgensen said.
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