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Florida Forest Service, District 16 - Indian River County <br />Wildland fire protection is the primary responsibility for Florida Forest Service personnel in Indian River County. <br />The Florida Forest Service activities in Indian River County include wildfire detection and suppression, private <br />and public landowner assistance (plowing or harrowing pre -suppression fire lines, prescribed burning, etc.), and <br />conducting wildfire prevention programs. <br />The following is a breakdown of fire <br />management activities performed by the <br />Florida Forest Service in Indian River County <br />for Fiscal Year 2015/2016. The Florida Forest <br />Service suppressed 17 wildfires in Indian River <br />County which burned 187.8 acres. Lightning <br />accounted for 83.39 percent and <br />miscellaneous breakout accounted for 7.99 <br />percent of the total fire acres. A total of 570 <br />burn authorizations were issued to customers <br />in Indian River County. Burn types included 1,654 piles and 14,275 acres. For fiscal year 2015/2016, Indian River <br />County was assessed $13,814.36 for fire management services on 197,348 acres. <br />To reduce the threat of wildfires, the Florida Forest Service in Indian River County worked closely with Indian <br />River County Conservation to treat several Wildland Urban Interface areas in Vero and Sebastian by roller <br />chopping, mowing, and burning on approximately 75 acres. <br />The Florida Forest Service cooperates with Indian River County Fire Rescue and Florida Park Service by working <br />together to extinguish wildfires as well as leasing federal excess vehicles and equipment. Currently the Florida <br />Park Service in Sebastian has two (2) heavy trucks that are outfitted with fire suppression equipment. <br />Fire Prevention programs are essential to reduce the occurrence of human -caused fires. The Florida Forest <br />Service has been tremendously successful in using Smokey Bear Programs to teach children about fire safety. <br />Teens and adults are also educated to use fire responsibly and taught the difference between good fire and bad <br />fire. Last year the wildfire prevention message was taken to The Firefighters Fair, Frog Leg Festival, Vero Beach <br />Air Show, IRC public service event, Environmental learning center, and many local events in the community. <br />In all activities, our mission is to protect and manage the forest resources of Florida, ensuring that they are <br />available for future generations. <br />9 <br />