BARTOW, FL – (April 17, 2026) – Polk County is no longer under a burn ban. The burn ban, which went into effect on Nov. 25, 2025, has been repealed.
“The rains we’ve had throughout the last couple of weeks has helped us a lot,” said Polk County Fire Chief Shawn Smith. “We will continue to monitor conditions daily and will reinstate the burn ban if conditions worsen.”
As of April 17, Polk County’s Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) average is 386 with 93% of the county under 500.
The KBDI is a continuous reference scale, ranging from 0 to 800. It assesses the soil’s moisture content from no moisture deficiency (0) to maximum drought conditions (800).
Despite the lift of the burn ban – if you see a potentially dangerous burn – report it to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Non-Emergency Line at 863-298-6200 or 9-1-1 if life or property is in immediate danger.
COURTESY: POLK COUNTY GOVERNMENT
