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Statewide burn ban issued
Wildfires prompt activation of state EOC
By SUZETTE PORTER
Article published on Tuesday, May 8, 2007 |
TALLAHASSEE – The state Emergency Operation Center was at Activation Level 1 – full activation – Tuesday afternoon in response to the wildfires and continuing dangerous fire weather conditions.
Emergency officials said residents and tourists should expect greatly reduced visibilities across much of the state Tuesday night and Wednesday morning due to the numerous wildfires burning throughout Florida and southeastern Georgia.
Motorists were urged to use extra caution when traveling, as sudden changes in visibility were possible on Florida's roadways.
Officials urged everyone to use extra caution when planning outdoor activities given the high fire danger and ongoing drought conditions. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued a statewide burn ban to reduce the threat of additional wildfires from burning yard debris.
“This reduction in the burning of yard waste should emphasize to everyone the seriousness of the drought conditions in our state,” Bronson said. “Until we are well into a regular pattern of afternoon thundershowers, we cannot risk allowing a small yard fire to escape and cause a disaster.”
In a typical year, Florida has about 5,000 wildfires that burn about 200,000 acres. Since Jan. 1 of this year, 1,875 wildfires have burned 166,247 acres.
Meteorologists continued to monitor the center of a low pressure that was edging closer to the Georgia coast Tuesday night and high surf advisories were posted for the beaches on the Atlantic side of the state.
According to an advisory from the EOC on Tuesday afternoon, the low pressure was located about 200 miles to the east of Jacksonville and moving slowly westward.
The non-tropical low pressure center was expected to move towards the Georgia coastline on Wednesday, causing winds in the peninsula to shift to a westerly direction, with breezy northwesterly winds forecast in the Florida panhandle.
“Breezy conditions, lingering dry air, and high dispersion indices will promote dangerous fire conditions throughout the Florida panhandle on Wednesday,” officials said. “Fire Weather Watches were in effect on Wednesday for the entire Florida panhandle.”
High Surf Advisories remained posted along the entire stretch of Florida's Atlantic coast through Wednesday morning. These rough seas will promote a high risk of rip currents that will make entering the surf dangerous at the state's Atlantic beaches.
Scattered showers from the coastal storm will rotate onshore into northeast and east central Florida on Wednesday and Wednesday night. The coastal storm is forecast to gradually weaken through Thursday, with mainly light rainfall amounts of a half inch or less for the coastal counties of northeast and east central Florida.
Higher humidity values and gradually decreasing winds will aid firefighters somewhat in the peninsula on Wednesday and Thursday.
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Article published on Tuesday, May 8, 2007
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