Governor Rick Scott is has declared a
state of emergency in Florida following the recent wildfires across
the state and the high potential for more wildfires during the coming
months.
Florida wildfires have already burned
250 percent more acreage during the first three months of 2017 than
during the same time period last year.
There are currently more than 100
active wildfires across more than 20,000 acres in Florida.
Much of Central and South Florida are
approaching drought-like conditions and the chances for wildfires are
continuing to increase with hotter temperatures and low rainfall.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam
said we haven’t seen this active of a season since 2011.
And while Northwest Florida is not
quite as dry as central and south Florida, there is still a high
chance of wildfires.
St. George Island was impacted by one
of the largest wildfires in recent memory on Saturday when a yard
trash fire grew out of control.
.
Volunteer firefighters county-wide
along with members of the Division of Forestry battled for over 12
hours against the fire that stretched from 7th street east to 11th
street east.
To minimize the wildfire risk,
officials are asking residents and visitors to do their part,
including: Never leave any fire unattended.
Report any suspicious fire by calling
911.
Do not burn yard waste during dry,
windy conditions, and do not toss cigarettes or other lighted
materials out of car windows.
Moreover, homeowners are reminded to
clear leaves and pine needles from their roof and gutters, remove
dead vegetation from around the home and trim trees and limbs within
15 foot of a chimney.
To see the locations of all active
wildfires in Florida, the public can download the “FLBurnTools”
app in Apple’s App Store or on Google Play.
http://live.oysterradio.com/
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