PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — This year has brought one of the worst droughts in more than 20 years, but finally, recent rain has brought some much-needed relief.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue lifted a four-week burn ban as the drought index dropped significantly, making conditions safer.
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"This week it has actually dropped down to below 600 and so that means we are getting more retention of water in the soil. And less chance of rapid fire expansion," Palm Beach Fire Rescue Capt. Tom Reyes said.
While the county is in much better shape than it was last week, drought conditions are still not ideal.
"Everything is cumulative, so yeah, it has helped, it doesn't mean we're out of the woods so to speak," Reyes said.
WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologist Kate Wentzel says the ground is still lacking moisture.
"The ground is still really dry out there. Most of us are still under that extreme drought situation, but the recent rains have helped to reduce that fire risk, just enough," Wentzel said.
Reyes explained irresponsible burning can quickly lead to spot fires on a windy day.
"It still means that people need to be very careful when they're burning outside," Reyes said. "Especially with this weather change, we've got cold fronts coming in. Cold fronts mean wind, and anything over 15 mph, we take a very close look at."
However, there could be more relief next weekend, with rain in the forecast.
"Typically, we'll start to see improving conditions as we head towards the start of the rainy season," Wentzel said.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalists to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
