Students hoping to party outdoors after Thursday's championship game shouldn't ward off the coming cold front with a bonfire.
A recent county ban prohibits outdoor fires, including the use of fireworks, sparklers and flares, according to a press release on the Alachua County Web site. Agricultural burning is an exception.
Outdoor grilling is not prohibited by the ban, but the press release urges the public to watch for stray sparks or embers.
The ban won't end until Gainesville gets a good bit of rain, said Carol Davis, public information officer for the Alachua County Department of Public Safety.
There is a 50 percent chance of rain on Wednesday morning.
Violating the ban is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $500 and up to 60 days in jail.
Police made two arrests in Gainesville on New Year's Eve for fireworks violations and gave one citation for illegal burning.
A city ordinance states that it is illegal to start a fire within about 150 feet of a building.
"You can't swing a cat without hitting a building in Gainesville," said Summer Hallett, Gainesville Police Department spokeswoman.
