The Florida Forest Service (FFS) is asking residents of Madison County to exercise caution when dealing with outdoor fires because of the increased danger of wildfires throughout the state.
The FFS reports that thunderstorms and excessive lightning have recently sparked wildfires in many of the state’s coastal areas, including a 1,000-acre fire in Taylor County that started on Sunday, May 29.
Lighting, in fact, accounts for about 25 percent of the state’s wildfires annually, according to the FFS.
“Florida’s wild-land firefighters will likely battle additional wildfires in the coming weeks due to dry conditions and increased lightning activity,” said Agriculture Commissioner Adam H. Putnam. “Citizens can do their part by keeping preventable human-caused wildfires at bay and preparing their families and homes for wildfires.”
The FFS recommends Floridians take the following steps to reduce the danger of wildfires:
Develop and implement a family wildfire action plan.
Call 911 or a local FFS field unit office immediately in the event of a wildfire.
Obey Florida’s outdoor burning laws.
Never burn on windy days.
Never leave an outdoor fire or hot grill unattended.
Keep a shovel and water hose handy in case a fire breaks its containment.
Approximately 57 wildfires are actively burning throughout Florida at present, according to the FFS. Since January, the division and its partners have responded to 1,200 wildfires that have burned 18,000 acres.
A division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the FFS manages more than a million acres of state forests, provides management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests, and protects homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres. Learn more at FloridaForestService.com.