Wildfires burning across the Florida-Georgia border have intensified, resulting in increased efforts and advisories being exhausted across the state.
38 Florida counties are under burn bans, and most inland zones within the state are under Red Flag advisories from the National Weather Service, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ)
Despite the unclear start of the wildfires, The Associated Press (AP) points out that amid one of the worst fire seasons in decades in Florida, the culmination of a long drought, low humidity, and strong winds strengthened them.
“Florida has got one of the worst fire seasons in maybe the last 30-40 years, or it’s turning out to be that way,” Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson said during a news conference. “The most important thing we’re gonna do in these fires is save lives. The second most important thing we’re gonna do is save property.”
Florida residents have been advised to avoid outdoor burning as state databases confirm 91 wildfires across the state, amounting to roughly 14,000 acres burned.
Commissioner Simpson confirmed the staging of firefighting equipment across Florida to ensure resources are closer to the fires.
Florida firefighters have tackled 131 wildfires – mostly in the northern half – that burned 34 square miles.
Commissioner Simpson also affirmed that the state is depending on federal support.
Earlier in the week, the Florida Forest Service reported the breakout of two major blazes in Jacksonville’s Clay and Putnam counties.
“Unfortunately, we have 8-10 more weeks of this,” Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan said, referring to the weather conditions.
A dangerous combination of low humidity and breezy winds will keep the fire danger elevated during the week, according to the National Weather Service.
At the beginning of the week, the wildfires disrupted Florida Amtrak train services, with routes from Southern and Central Florida towards Georgia, the Northeastern and Midwestern parts of the U.S. canceled.
