LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Officials in Lake County have imposed a burn ban until further notice to try to protect the public because dry conditions have caused the drought index to climb, the county announced.

The ban prohibits the burning of yard debris, land for any reason, recreational fires and unauthorized piles of debris not approved by the Florida Forest Service.

Fuel burned in an outdoor fireplace, barbeque grill, or a pit that has a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height are excluded from the ban.

The Florida Forest Service may issue permits, at times, for specific commercial burns.

Lake County has not received much rain for an extended period, and the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) rating has met or exceeded 500. The index, a reference scale for estimating the dryness of the soil and duff layers, increases each day that there is no rainfall, the amount of which varies by temperatures.

When the KBDI index drops below 500 for five days in a row, the burn ban will be lifted.