Volusia County, FL Fire Regulations: Wildfire Zones (2026)

Volusia County sits within a Florida Forest Service (FFS)-designated wildfire-prone region; the 1998 Florida firestorm burned large areas of western Volusia and remains a reference event. Outdoor burning is regulated under Florida Administrative Code 5I-2 and Volusia County Code of Ordinances (Chapter 46, Fire Prevention). Authorized burns of yard waste require compliance with FFS setbacks: 25 feet from forests/fields, 50 feet from paved public roads, and 150 feet from occupied structures; piles must not exceed 8 feet in diameter. Burn authorizations are suspended during red flag warnings and when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) triggers countywide bans. Florida Building Code Section 327 addresses WUI construction; homes in interface areas are encouraged (not universally mandated) to maintain 30 feet of lean/clean defensible space and reduce fuels to 100 feet, per Firewise USA guidance. The county fire rescue and FFS conduct prescribed burns to reduce fuel loads. Fireworks causing wildfire exposure are restricted year-round except on the three FS §791.08 preempted holidays. Insurance carriers increasingly require defensible space compliance in high-risk ZIP codes.