Teacher Caused 5-Acre Brush Fire By Burning Debris In Backyard: Polk Sheriff

BARTOW, FL — A Polk County Public Schools teacher was arrested for starting a backyard fire in Bartow that spread to about 5 acres on Sunday, authorities said.

Brian Webster intentionally started the fire, which grew into one of more than 30 brush fires across the county, to burn debris despite a countywide burn ban that went into effect on Nov. 25 because of dry conditions, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Webster, who teaches at Bartow High School, was charged with reckless land burning, burning during a state of emergency, reckless/careless pollution and violating the county burn ban.

A deputy responded to a home on Cox Road at the request of Polk County Fire Rescue, which was actively fighting a fire near it.

Webster told the deputy that he was taking precautions while burning cardboard boxes and other materials inside an old refrigerator, the sheriff’s office said.

He also said that he monitored the fire until he believed that it was no longer a threat.

Not long after this, he noticed that the fire spread, and he unsuccessfully tried to put it out, the sheriff’s office said.

“There is good reason why Polk County officials issued the burn ban, and Sunday’s numerous brush fires are a perfect example of that. Additionally, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency recently due to extreme drought. Property and lives are at risk, and we will charge people appropriately,” Sheriff Grady Judd said.

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