Contact

For course information, contact John Saddler at (850) 681-5928 or John.Saddler@FDACS.gov.

Laws and Regulations

Florida Statutes
Chapter 590: Forest Protection

Florida Administrative Code
Chapter 5I-2: Open Burning
Chapter 62-256: Open Burning (includes Yard Trash)

2019 Florida’s Forest Fire Laws and Open Burning Regulations [ 1.9 MB ]

Follow Florida Forest Service on:

Certified Prescribed Fire — Acreage

Special Notice

Due to office closures and travel restrictions related to COVID-19, no classes will be scheduled until further notice. Please check back for updates.

Prescribed burning is a land management tool that benefits the safety of the public, the environment, and the economy of the state. The Florida Forest Service offers a certification program for those who practice prescribed burning. Certified burners in Florida, because of their additional training, are allowed to burn when others cannot, to burn longer through the day, and are given liability protection as long as they follow the requirements in the law.

The Florida Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Training Course is offered in two formats:

The Distance Learning Format
The Classroom Format

These courses are designed to train individuals in public and private agencies and organizations that are charged with the responsibility of performing prescribed fires.

The current schedule for the classroom format is listed below, but can change so please check it periodically.

Distance Learning

The Certified Burner Correspondence Course is a web-based self study course for experienced burners who want to polish their skills and receive certification from the Florida Forest Service. Only those individuals who indicate that they have direct experience (not standby) in three or more acreage burns will be accepted as applicants. Please review the registration form (see link below) for more details.

Course Dates, Fees and Registration

Tuition for this class is $175 per student
Registration is open year round
Prescribed Fire Correspondence Course Registration[ ]

Classroom Version

This three-day course is open to individuals of all experience levels.

While not required it is recommended the student have taken Incident Command System (I.C.S.) courses S-130 Firefighter Training, S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, or have hands-on fire experience. Check with local Florida Forest Service offices for these classes.

Prescribed Fire Class Schedule 14-15
Where	When	Registration Closes
Withlacoochee Training Center, Brooksville**	TBD	N/A
Washington County Ag Center, Chipley*	TBD	N/A
Tallahassee Forestry Center Office, Tallahassee*	TBD	N/A
Jacksonville District Office, Bryceville*	TBD	N/A
Caloosahatchee Forestry Center, Fort Myers*	TBD	N/A
Corbett Wildlife Management Area, West Palm Beach**	TBD	N/A
Wekiwa Springs State Park, Apopka**	TBD	N/A
* 3-day version starts at 8 a.m. on first day, ends by 5 p.m. on third day. ** 4-day version starts at 1 p.m. on first day, ends by noon on fourth day.

Note: The deadline for registration is approximately one month prior to each class allowing students time to review materials. Please refer to the course information and registration link below for deadline dates.

Prescribed Fire Course Information and Registration [ 114.9 kB ]

Course Dates, Fees and Registration

Tuition for this class is $175 per student.
No courses scheduled at this time

Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Training: Course Manual

Interagency Basic Prescribed Fire Course Training Manual table
Chapter	Title
	Table of Contents [ 24.8 kB ]
Chapter 1:	Introduction [ 96.7 kB ]
Chapter 2:	Why We Burn [ 43.8 kB ]
Chapter 3:	Legal Requirements [ 103.3 kB ]
Chapter 4:	Public Relations [ 97.9 kB ]
Chapter 5:	Safety [ 163.1 kB ]
Chapter 6:	Weather [ 1.1 MB ]
Chapter 7:	Fire Behavior [ 356.6 kB ]
Chapter 8:	Smoke Management [ 99.5 kB ]
Chapter 9:	Ecological Effects [ 600.7 kB ]
Chapter 10:	Firing Techniques [ 389.1 kB ]
Chapter 11:	Holding and Contingencies [ 184.1 kB ]
Chapter 12:	Planning and Evaluation [ 117.1 kB ]
	Appendices [ 6.6 MB ]