PANAMA CITY — Dry conditions and high winds could make for dangerous fire conditions over the weekend, and authorities are asking the public to take precautions and be proactive in reporting suspicious smoke.
Despite a slight amount of precipitation earlier in the week, the Florida Forest Service issued a public notice Friday of the high fire danger over the weekend in seven Panhandle counties: Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Walton and Washington.
Humidity is expected to drop significantly and high winds with gusts as high as 30 mph are expected Saturday, which amount to highly hazardous fire conditions, according to Chipola Center Forest Service Manager Johnny Sabo.
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“The midweek rainshowers in our area can be very deceiving,” Sabo said. “The reality is, we haven’t had a good rain in at least 19 days and the forecast doesn’t show any in the near future.”
Without a significant rainfall, it doesn’t take much to ignite a potential wildfire, so the Forest Service is stressing the importance vigilance. Under these conditions, sparks can ignite easily and fires will spread quickly.
The Forest Service is discouraging outdoor burning today and asking citizens to report any new fires or suspicious smoke. Safety of the public and first responders is of the utmost concern, and with today’s weather forecast, one of the main threats for firefighters will be rapid spread of any fire start.
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See a fire?
- To report a wildfire, call 850-547-7083. Visit the Florida Forest Service website for more information at floridaforestservice.com.