Residents throughout the three-county Blackwater District of the Florida Forest Service might see smoke from prescribed burning operations as conditions are favorable today and tomorrow. While conditions are right for trained burners to accomplish their goals, the weather also could lead to a higher risk of wildfires and people are urged to use caution if they decide to burn yard debris.
“There comes a point where the weather conditions for great burning overlap with a situation that presents increased fire danger, “said David Smith, operations administrator for Blackwater and certified prescribed burner with more than 25 years of experience with fire. “If you know what you’re doing and are prudent and careful, fire can be an incredibly useful tool. If you’re careless, it can be devastating.”
Predicted conditions could push Fire Danger Levels from moderate to high for a brief period as winds will top 10 miles per hour and humidity levels will fall into the 30 percent range. Earlier freezes killed grasses and small shrubs which will dry out rapidly as humidity drops throughout the day. The combination of steady wind and dry fuels is a watch out situation and people are reminded to obey their local and state burn laws and never leave a fire unattended.
The Florida Forest Service manages more than 1 million acres of public forest land while protecting 26 million acres of homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire. For more information about the Florida Forest Service, go to www.FloridaForestService.com.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit www.FreshFromFlorida.com.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Fire Danger Level increases with higher wind, lower humidity