Florida residents flee their homes after growing wildfires threaten their homes
New wildfires in Florida have sent residents fleeing their homes and closed roadways to traffic.The Sunshine State is forecast to experience a busier-than-average wildfire season this spring.Earlier this month, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service warned Floridians that they needed to be ready for a potentially busy wildfire season after the National Interagency Fire Center predicted an above-average season. Florida’s peak wildfire impacts usually occur from April through June.
However, since January, more than 1,000 wildfires in the Sunshine State have burned 51,000 acres.In March, fire crews in Miami-Dade battled several large wildfires that threatened homes, prompting evacuations. Last year’s busy hurricane season, with several major hurricane landfalls in Florida, is contributing to the increasing fire danger because of the abundant debris across the state. According to the Florida Forest Service, much of Central Florida remains at high fire danger on the Fire Danger Index, while the entire state faces moderate fire danger.“Several factors could make this a busy wildfire season, including leftover debris from multiple hurricanes and forecasts calling for less rain this spring,” Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan said in a statement. “I’m encouraging people to pay attention to the weather, especially wind, relative humidity, and days since rain.
Spring is here, and we need to be wildfire ready.”On Wednesday, a large brush fire in Hendry County prompted evacuations in the community of Montura Ranch Estates, about an hour east of Fort Myers.The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office said homes in the area were evacuated, and the power has been shut off.More than an hour northeast of Henry County, another fire started Wednesday on Florida’s Space Coast.
The Digital Fire in Melbourne quickly consumed 25 acres.According to Melbourne officials, the fire shut down at least one road in ...