Commissioner Nikki Fried & Florida Forest Service Warn Floridians of Increased Wildfire Danger

[Teresa]

Commissioner Nikki Fried & Florida Forest Service Warn Floridians of Increased Wildfire Danger

May 6, 2020
Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Forest Service are urging Floridians to exercise caution due to the increased threat of wildfires. Fire danger has increased throughout the state due to windy conditions and critically low relative humidity over the coming days.

Gusty conditions are possible in the Panhandle and Big Bend with the passage of a dry front. A Red Flag Warning has been issued for the entire Panhandle. Parts of Central and all of South Florida will be under a Fire Weather Watch on Thursday afternoon.

“I encourage all Floridians to be aware of the fire danger, exercise caution, follow directives from state and local officials, and help protect our fellow residents, homes, natural resources, and our wildland firefighters during this elevated fire threat,” said Commissioner Fried.

Since January, the Florida Forest Service has battled nearly 1,100 wildfires that have burned over 18,100 acres across the state. 97 percent of those wildfires were human-caused.

“Due to the elevated fire threat, I am urging the public to avoid yard debris burning,” said Erin Albury, State Forester and Director of the Florida Forest Service. “We are in the peak of our year-round fire activity, and these weather conditions will only add to the existing fire danger.”

For more on current wildfire conditions, visit FDACS.gov/CurrentWildfireInfo.

The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres.

Commissioner Nikki Fried & Florida Forest Service Warn Floridians of Increased Wildfire Danger / 2020 Press Releases / Press Releases / News & Events / Home - Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

 

[Teresa]

Fires in Santa Rosa County and Escambia County

Wind-driven Five Mile Swamp Fire now 2,000 acres, structures burned

MILTON, Fla. – High wind and extremely low humidity have helped the Five Mile Swamp Fire grow to almost 10 times the size from morning estimates. Winds upward of 20 mph pushed embers from the fire across Interstate 10 and it is now estimated at 2,000 acres with 20% contained. The fire has burned several structures south of the Interstate but there is no firm number.

The Florida Forest Service continues to aggressively fight the fire with 18 tractor/plow units, three helicopters and a significant number of resources from multiple fire departments throughout the county. Firefighters will continue to work toward stopping this fire for the next several days.

Residents south of Interstate 10 and east of Avalon Boulevard have been asked to evacuate and Santa Rosa County has a shelter process established. The evacuation order will run through noon Thursday and be reevaluated at that time. Residents seeking shelter should contact Santa Rosa County at 983-INFO.

In light of these conditions, officials with the Blackwater Forestry Center are not issuing burn authorizations in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties.

The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects wildfire on more than 26 million acres. Learn more at FDACS.gov/FLForestService.


Additional wildfires in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties

Escambia County
The Florida Forest Service and county fire resources in Escambia County are working a fire near Hurst Hammock Road and Beulah Road. The Hurst Hammock 2 Fire is roughly 60 acres. There are five Florida Forest Service tractor/plow units and a tractor/plow from the Alabama Forestry Commission working to build line.
#HurstHammock2Fire

Santa Rosa County
The Florida Forest Service and county fire resources in Santa Rosa County are working a 70-acre fire east of Chumuckla Highway near Acy Lowery Road. This fire has three tractor/plow units on it and is 20% contained and is named Acy Lowery Road Fire.
#AcyLoweryRoadFire

These two fires are independent of the Five Mile Swamp Fire.

#5mileswampfire #Flfire

 

[Teresa]

Dept. of Agriculture and Florida Forestry Service have issued a warning (May 6 - see above).

Each County BCC is responsible for their area. Walton County has not issued a burn ban as of yet. I wonder what they are waiting for.

 

[Teresa]

SWFD

The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather warning for the following counties from 1300- 1900 hours today: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Washington, Holmes, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Franklin, Liberty, Gadsden, Leon, Jefferson and Madison.

Red Flag Warnings are issued when weather conditions are favorable for rapid fire growth.

On May 5th, SWFD shared a similar message urging everyone to avoid and or suspend outdoor burning until conditions improved. On May 6th, we responded to a 343 acre wildland fire that resulted in 33 homes destroyed due to outdoor burning.

Please help us help you.

Florida Forest Service
Walton County Emergency Management
Walton County Sheriff, Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.

 

[Teresa]

Walton BCC institutes Burn Ban

The Walton County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously today, 4 -0, to institute a burn ban in Walton County. This will remain in effect until it is deemed safe to reinstate burning. This will be done in conjunction with Florida Forest Service, Walton County Fire Rescue and South Walton Fire District.