Firefighters battle blazes across drought-stricken parts of Florida
OSTEEN, Fla. — Firefighters in Central and South Florida are battling wildfires that have temporarily closed highways and caused some residents to evacuate.
More than 800 acres burned early Sunday near Osteen in Volusia County, though the Florida Forest Service said the fire is now 90% contained.
The fire broke out Saturday and may have been started by the remains of an earlier wildfire, Volusia County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Scott Smoak said. told WESH-TV.
According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, most of Central and South Florida is currently experiencing drought, with the driest conditions concentrated around Sarasota and Punta Gorda. According to the Florida Forest Service, outdoor burning of yard waste is currently banned in 13 counties in Central and Southwest Florida.
‘It is extremely dry in our country, especially in this part of the province. Any piece of people burning outside, any type of vehicle causing sparks, those are our biggest concerns,” Smoak said.
Weather forecasters warned that conditions remain favorable for fires to spread on Sunday, especially along Florida’s mid-Atlantic coast where gusty winds are likely.
More than 1,100 wildfires have been reported in Florida so far this year, burning more than 24,000 acres, the Forest Service reports.
A smaller fire Saturday in North Port briefly closed the northbound lanes of Interstate 75, with some residents evacuated. The fire was 80% contained by late Saturday, with firefighters saying Sunday they were working through the night and continuing to extinguish hot spots.
Smoke lingered in Martin County Sunday from a fire that started Friday from the remains of an earlier fire. A helicopter dropped water on the fire, WPTV-TV reports thisalthough the fire was 90% contained.
Derek Craver told WPEC-TV that he had to evacuate when the fire burned dangerously close to his home.
“We were sitting in the house and the smoke was coming close. It looked thick. I looked outside and saw flames,” Craver said. “It’s quite hectic, a bit of panic, especially when they tell you to leave.”
No houses were damaged and residents were allowed to return.