A brief round of rain overnight into Wednesday morning, February 9, 2026, did little to ease Citrus County’s brushfire risk, as drought conditions, dead vegetation from a recent freeze and a persistently high Keetch-Byram Drought Index continue to keep the county under a burn ban with no immediate relief in sight.
Citrus County’s KBDI stood at 615 as of Wednesday, well above the 500 threshold that automatically triggers a countywide burn ban. Under county ordinance, the ban cannot be lifted until the index remains below 500 for seven consecutive days, a benchmark fire officials say remains far off. “At 614, it’s just too dangerous to end the burn ban,” Crystal River Fire Chief Frank Melillo said. “We need several inches of effective rainfall, not just a passing shower. A solid week of effective rainfall is what it would take to start bringing that number down.”
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is a nationally recognized tool used to measure drought conditions and wildfire risk. It tracks moisture deficiency in the upper soil layers and the deep organic layer known as duff – a mix of decaying leaves, needles and twigs that can burn intensely when dry. Together, these layers represent roughly eight inches of ground moisture. The index ranges from 0 to 800 and reflects the amount of rainfall, measured in hundredths of inches.
Lack of rainfall and below-freezing temperatures that have killed underbrush have coupled to create dangerous brush fire conditions along the region. Fire officials urge residents to exercise extreme caution and avoid any outdoor burning until the ban is lifted.
Originally reported by Citrus County Chronicle – Inverness and Citrus County Chronicle – Crystal River
Sources: Citrus County Chronicle – Inverness, Citrus County Chronicle – Crystal River
