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BOOK J09 FAGE 81 <br />for a period of 7 days but the time can be extended either by the County Commission or by <br />the County Administrator. <br />In response to questioning, Director Wright stated that they are standing down on the <br />Chip Harvester site and that the costs for the fire at that site are $43,000 to date. From the <br />12' to the 16' of April, the 8 million gallons of water used to fight that fire are not included <br />in that figure. There were also some firefighter injuries in fighting that fire. <br />Jim Rath, District Manager of the Florida Division of Forestry, thanked the Board <br />for passing the resolution and believed it would help everyone. He asked the press to get <br />information out to subdivisions and homeowners regarding protection of structures and the <br />need for defensible spaces around houses and the prohibition banning open burning, <br />including yard trash. He noted that the Department of Environmental Protection is working <br />closely with the Division of Forestry and surveillance aircraft are in the air from 6 to 8 hours <br />a day. <br />Inresponse to a question from CommissionerAdams, Mr. Rath advisedthatmostfires <br />started by lighted cigarettes occur when the humidity drops below 20%. The humidity level <br />at this time is 30%. <br />Commissioner Adams suggested notrequiring landscaping to be in before a certificate <br />of occupancy is issued during this crisis. <br />In response to Commissioner Stanbridge's question, Mr. Rath advised that <br />homeowners' associations could call the Emergency Management Department and they <br />would be happy to coordinate an informational meeting. The Division has 2 extra _ <br />information officers in the District at this time. <br />Mr. Rath also mentioned that catalytic converters on cars are ignition sources. He <br />asked that the public pay particular attention to parking on the road shoulders where the grass <br />can be ignited by the heat from these converters. <br />ON MOTION by Commissioner Adams, <br />SECONDED by Commissioner Ginn, the Board <br />unanimously adopted Resolution 99-038 declaring a <br />state of local emergency. <br />APRIL 20, 1999 <br />