Officials stated on Saturday that wildfires destroyed two homes and damaged 12, forcing the evacuation of 600 people in the Florida Panhandle. The incident on Friday is thought to have started as a result of an out-of-control trash fire ignited by a resident.
Wildfire destroyed Florida’s hundred thousand acres
Gov. Ron DeSantis called the conditions in Bay County, Florida “the perfect storm” due to the 2018 hurricane’s felled trees, low humidity, and high winds. In the Florida Panhandle, almost 200 emergency personnel worked overnight to reinforce containment lines and safeguard homes, according to MSN.
To date, the Adkins Avenue Fire had been controlled to 30 percent of its original size, which is 1400 acres or 567 hectares.
Officials in the Florida Panhandle claimed in a press release that the agency had sent out more than a dozen tractor plow units and multiple helicopters, and that burn prohibitions were in effect in certain areas of the state. DeSantis said that several homes were saved overnight, thanks to the firefighters.
At this point, the fire has spread to 800 acres and six homes have been reported damaged or burned. More than 600 people have been forced to evacuate from their homes. The Hiland Park Baptist Church, located in the Student Center near the basketball courts, has opened an emergency shelter for anyone being evacuated.
Bay residents ordered to evacuate
All residences from south of Alva Thomas Road and east of Transmitter Road are evacuated. To ensure a safe and orderly evacuation, motorists are requested to avoid the area.
As reported by News Herald, the residents of Transmitter Road, Alva Thomas Road, Brentwood, and Avondale Estates were reportedly warned to evacuate immediately. In the past week, fire activity has escalated due to the excessive dryness of the area. The residents were advised that outdoor burning should be avoided until the weather improves.
Springfield and Panama City firefighters are aggressively battling a 700-acre wildfire burning east of Transmitter Road between U.S. 231 and Adkins Avenue.
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