BAY COUNTY – Florida Forest Service Wildland Firefighters are working to suppress six separate wildfires in 4 northwest Florida panhandle counties.
· In Bay County, the “Timbercrest” Wildfire is burning in the Fountain area in the vicinity of Timbercrest Road and Burnout Road. The cause of this fire is still unknown. It was reported late yesterday and is estimated at between 30 and 50 acres. Florida Forest Service tractor-plow units are on scene today plowing containment fire lines around this fire. (Also in Bay County, crews continue to ‘mop up’ the 3-acre “Vick Road” Wildfire that was reported Sunday and contained on Monday just east of the Gulf Power power plant off Bay County Road 2300—also referred to locally as ‘Steam Plant Road’.)
· In Calhoun County, the “Highway Twenty” Wildfire was reported on Monday and is believed to have been started by a lightning strike. It has been contained at only 2 acres.
· The “Gasline” Wildfire in Holmes County between Ponce de Leon and Argyle just south of Highway 90 near the ‘pipline’ was reported on Saturday and is contained at approximately 50 acres. It has been determined that it was started by heat from railroad activity. (This fire is near the Holmes County/Walton County line.)
· Also in Holmes County, the 20-acre “Baker Pond” Wildfire is believed to have been started by lightning and was reported yesterday (8/23). It has been contained off Highway 179-A.
· The “Chance Road” Wildfire is between Chipley and Bonifay in Washington County. It was reported yesterday but due to the geographical terrain in the area that it’s burning, a Florida Forest Service aerial surveillance crew will be locating it today so suppression units can be dispatched to contain it.
Due to the quick and aggressive actions of the Florida Forest Service wildland firefighters, no homes or other structures are considered threatened at this time and all of these wildfires combined total only just over 100 acres.
Even though mid-July through early-August saw a nice share of showers and rainstorms, Florida Forest Service wildland firefighters continued to monitor and suppress relatively small and occasional wildfires started most commonly by afternoon lightning strikes during that time. Florida Forest Service Wildland Firefighters are busy also making equipment repairs and rebounding from the extremely busy Spring and early Summer months earlier this year.
During the first 7 months of this year (from January 1st til July 31st), Florida Forest Service wildland firefighters responded to 3,972 wildfires statewide compared to 1,852 last year in 2010 during that same time period. That’s almost exactly twice as many wildfires this year. But even more noteworthy is the comparison of acres burned by those fires: 24,337 in 2010 and 194,906 this year—EIGHT TIMES as much acreage! Locally, in the 7-county Chipola Forestry Center, using the same time period comparisons, we had 147 wildfires that burned 1,000 acres in 2010 and over twice as many fires at 363 and which resulted in nearly 5 times as many acres burned at 4,559 in 2011.
Even though our area is still stands at below normal rainfall totals for the year—as evidenced by low swamps and ponds—we are fortunately wet on the surface for now. But, what these excessive rains mean is that vegetation is growing and when we do hit another drought-like period, this vegetation that can serve as ‘fuel’ for a wildfire will most likely be more flammable than before. With that, the Florida Forest Service continues to encourage residents to prepare for our next round of wildfire activity by considering a few safety tips before it threatens:
· Take some time to clean up your yard and clean your roof and gutters of debris that can serve as ‘fuel’ to airborne embers from a wildfire so that you don't “invite” a wildfire to your home.
1) Remove leaves, pine needles, twigs and palm fronds, etc., from roofs and gutters
2) Clear burnable materials like wood piles and dead plants from the sides of the home
3) Clean, mow and water the area surrounding the home (up to 30 feet) to prevent leading wildfires from the woods to your door
· Be careful when using fire for anything - including campfires and barbecues. Make sure someone watches the fire at all times until it is out. **Never leave any fire unattended.**
· Use caution when using anything that can cause a spark.
· Supervise children and be sure they understand the dangers of fire and the possible consequences of their actions.
· For more information on how to protect your home and family, visit www.fl-dof.com.
For media interviews and photo and video opportunities, contact Brian Goddin—Wildfire Mitigation Specialist/ Public Information Officer: Florida Forest Service (Chipola Forestry Center) at 625-6621. To report a suspicious fire, call 547-7083. For more information about the Florida Forest Service, including wildfire information, or recreational opportunities, visit the Florida Forest Service website at www.fl-dof.com. The Chipola Forestry Center of the Florida Forest Service consists of 7 counties including Bay, Walton, Gulf, Holmes, Calhoun, Washington, and Jackson counties. (Special Note: Effective July 1st, 2011, the Florida Division of Forestry has returned to its ‘original’ name—the Florida Forest Service!)
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