As South Florida faces dangerously dry conditions, experts warn that keeping lawns green and trimmed can help reduce the risk of brush fires.
Doris Bryant said her brother takes great pride in maintaining their grandmother’s lawn, not just for aesthetics but for safety.
“He gets so many compliments about the grass. This is his baby,” Bryant said.
Michael Kane of Broward Sheriff’s Fire Rescue agrees, emphasizing that a well-watered lawn is a safer lawn.
“Green grass is safe grass,” Kane said.
With South Florida experiencing a lack of rain, a chart from the Florida Forest Service shows much of the region in red, signaling dangerously dry conditions.
These conditions, combined with strong winds, have led to recent brush fires, including one in a rural area of southwest Miami-Dade that took nearly a week to contain.
Fire prevention starts at home
While brush fires are more common in rural areas, Kane warns that they can still happen in residential neighborhoods when conditions are especially dry.
“It could be anything from negligence, like a barbecue that’s not being controlled properly—to a lightning strike or a fallen power line,” Kane said.
For homeowners who can’t keep their lawns well-watered, Kane recommends keeping the grass trimmed to reduce fire fuel.
“There’s not a lot of fuel to feed a fire here,” he said, pointing to a properly cut lawn.
Bryant, who is taking no chances, said the recent brush fires have been a wake-up call.
“I heard about those brush fires and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, we gotta make sure we keep this grass nice and watered. We don’t need any fire,'” she said.
Authorities urge residents to take precautions as dry conditions persist, reminding them that simple lawn care can be a first line of defense against potential fires.
