Forest Service Urges Caution Due To Fire Weather Conditions

March 26, 2013

Officials with Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center are keeping an eye on the weather conditions this week as a dry cold front moves through the area bringing strong winds and extremely low humidity. Near freezing temperatures and relative humidity predicted to be in the upper teens will combine to create high fire danger and all but eliminate the benefits of this past weekend’s rains.

“We’re looking at a freeze-drying effect in essence,” said David smith, operations administrator for the Blackwater District which serves Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. “We’re approaching spring, and wetter weather, but we still have a lot of dead vegetation from the winter. Those dead fuels, plus high winds and low humidity could lead to an increased potential for fires to start as well grow if and when they do ignite.”

Smith noted that while some areas of the district have seen more than an inch of rain in recent weeks, we have been experiencing an uptick in wildfires compared to last year. So far, Forest Service firefighters have responded to 31 fires this month compared to 15 for all of March of 2012. The 10-year average for wildfires in March is 38 for the Blackwater District.

“While we’re not seeing an above-average number of fires so far, we are seeing more than last year,” he said. “This dry, cold weather will not help that situation, either.”

Pictured: A wildfire sparked by a house fire threatened four additional structures Monday afternoon on McBridge Road in Byrneville. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News