Wildfire forces evacuation of hundreds of residents in the Florida panhandle

Trees downed by Hurricane Michael four years ago are believed to have fueled the wildfire. The tinder dry conditions and strong winds aggravated the situation. Those in authority asked those living in Springfield, east of Panama City to move out on priority. Ron DeSantis is the governor of Florida. He explained that combination of huge expanses of dry land, downed trees, low humidity and strong winds were tailor made for hazardous fire conditions in Bay County. Teams of firefighters and emergency workers toiled to strengthen containment lines and protect homes. Tractor plow units and helicopters were deployed and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Dry conditions in Florida give rise to dangers of fire. There are innumerable active wildfires across the state. The Florida Forest Service indicates 12,000 acres are currently ablaze in the state of Florida. It faced Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and then Hurricane Michael in 2018. The latter tore through Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base and left 16 dead with loss of about $25 billion in damages. It is not easy to control wildfires.

Source -

dailymail.co.uk dated 8 March 2022