After Hurricane Michael hit the Florida panhandle in 2018, 72 million tons of trees across 11 counties were destroyed. (2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Residents in 600 homes in the Florida Panhandle were evacuated as a wildfire destroyed two houses and damaged 12 others, in an area that has spent the past three years recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Michael, officials said Saturday. National Weather Service meteorologist Cameron Young said that by Wednesday, a cold front will begin moving through the Panama City area, which will significantly increase the chances of rain to as high as 90% chance by Thursday. You have very dry conditions and you have a lot of wind.". Three fires forced the evacuation of more than 1,100 homes. Seeing it in early March really gives us an indication of what the fire season is going to be like., Drunk pilot removed from cockpit of JetBlue flight to Florida, Florida Republicans pass bill to ban abortion after 15 weeks, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. The fire was 45% contained as of Monday afternoon, the Forest Service said. It is NOT safe to return home at this time, Bay county officials posted online. Residents in 600 homes in the Florida Panhandle were evacuated as a . Man dead after exchanging gunfire with Tampa police, Man found with gunshot wounds dies in Tampa, 10 Weather: Near record heat Friday into the weekend, Heat waves like the one that's killed 14 in the southern US are becoming more frequent and enduring, Florida Panhandle fire stretching 1400 acres and still growing, Bulldozer crushes worker inside porta potty at landfill, Polk County says. The fire remains active and is growing west-northwest as a result of current weather conditions. Two homes have been destroyed and 12 more were damaged. A shark attack in Cocoa Beach, Florida left a 12-year-old girl injured on Monday. Fire forces evacuation of hundreds of homes in Florida Panhandle It was not clear what started the Bertha Swamp Road or Star Avenue fires, though the Forest Service said windy conditions had driven both blazes. June 27, 2023. Monday updates: FEMA gives more federal funds to Bay County to help battle Bertha Swamp Fire, Wildfires in the Florida Panhandle: Where they are and what you need to know. Florida Panhandle wildfires: Thousands of acres near Panama City are There were early reports of firefighters suffering injuries, but according to a Monday morning tweet from Bay County Emergency Services, there have been no fatalities and no injuries from the local wildfires. The Forest Service had warned on Friday that fire danger levels were elevated statewide, citing critically low humidity.. Copyright 2022 WJHG. So thats going to make it a very dynamic situation.. Bertha Swamp Road Fire now 'more than 14,000 acres' | Live updates DeSantis: National Guard poised to combat fires in Florida Panhandle Here's what else we know about the threeblazes burning in Bay Countyas of Monday: Panama City fires Sundayupdates:Third fire breaks out, Sims State Veterans Nursing Home evacuated, From Saturday:Adkins Avenue, Bertha Swamp fires force more evacuations; fairgrounds opened for evacuees, What started it all: Two homes destroyed, dozen more damaged in Adkins Road fire. The fire, which originated in Gulf County, has spread into neighboring Bay and Calhoun counties just east of Panama City,accordingto the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Here's what you . Florida Panhandle fires: Bertha Swamp Road, Adkins Avenue, Star Avenue Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. There is no timeline as to when residents will be allowed to return home, according to a release from the Florida Forest Service. The Associated Press. Waller Elementary School will remain closed on Tuesday "due to that school's proximity to the smoke," Bay District Schools announced Monday afternoon in a news release. "Even if there are red flags flying, people look at the water . By Mondaymorningit had grownto cover about 13,000acresabout 4,000 acres more than Sunday. Officials say the fire was driven by strong winds and is burning through thick, dead trees and vegetation left behind from Hurricane Michael. As of Monday afternoon, the mandatory evacuation order for homes south of U.S. 231 to U.S. 98 and between Transmitter Roadand Star Avenuehas been lifted. All evacuation orders remain in place. More than 200 firefighters and emergency workers from around the Panhandle worked overnight to strengthen containment lines and protect homes. Dry conditions in Florida have created elevated fire dangers, with 148 active wildfires burning across the state, including the 3,000--acre (1,214-hectare) Bertha Swamp Fire in neighboring Gulf County, according to the Florida Forest Service. Current Wildfire Information - Florida Department of Agriculture PANAMA CITY, Fla. >> Residents in 600 homes in the Florida Panhandle were evacuated as a wildfire destroyed two houses and damaged 12 others, in an area that has spent the past three years . According to the Florida Forest Service Sunday morning, the Adkins Avenue Fire and the Bertha Swamp Road Fire are burning nearly 10,000 acres. The fire grewfrom 40 acres to 250acres as a result of high winds and dry weather conditions. We definitely have some much-needed rain in the forecast, he said. As of Saturday morning, the 1,500-acre Adkins Avenue Fire was 30 percent contained, according to the Florida Forest Service. Please be patient as first responders battle these dangerous fires.. The Florida Forest Service tells us they have 17 tractor plow units attacking the fire. ), First published on March 7, 2022 / 12:20 PM. Florida Panhandle wildfires burn nearly 10,000 acres, evacuations remain in place By Daniel Uria The Bertha Swamp Fire and Adkins Avenue Fire have burned nearly 10,000 acres in the. The Adkins Avenue fire was caused by someone burning debris in a backyard, Valerie Sale, a spokeswoman for Bay County, said on Saturday. It was 10% contained as of Sunday morning. No homes damaged. Those fires are burning more than 12,100 acres. The National Integrated Heat Health Information System reports more than 46 million people from west Texas and southeastern New Mexico to the western Florida Panhandle are currently under heat alerts. It also left behind 2.8 million acres (about 1.1 million hectares) of shredded and uprooted trees in the Florida Panhandle, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried said at the news conference. Alyssa Lukpat is a reporter covering breaking news for the Express desk. We are looking at high, sustained winds of 10 to 15 miles per hour, gusting up to 25mph. Additional resources have been brought to the area to combat the fires, DeSantis said, noting some first responders had suffered injuries. There are 171 wildfires burning more than 15,000 acres throughout the state. @igrullonpaz, Wildfires in Florida Panhandle Prompt Evacuations, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/05/us/florida-bay-county-wildfire.html. She said that number was likely to climb. Firefighters are now battling three wildfires in the Florida Panhandle: a fire that started Friday on the east side of Panama City known as the Adkins Avenue Fire, a massive blaze called the . IE 11 is not supported. This photo provided by Florida Forest Service shows smoke from a wildfire in Bay County, Fla., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. (Mike Fender/News Herald via AP) AP NEW! The county opened a shelter at the Bay County Fairgrounds for displaced residents. Two massive wildfires burning in an area of the Florida Panhandle became three late Sunday, adding a veterans nursing home to the growing list of evacuated dwellings. The Bertha Swamp Road Fire was at about 12,000 acres and 20 percent containment Monday, while the Adkins Avenue Fire was at about 841 acres and 40 percent containment, Bay County Emergency Services said. Officials say the weather is expected to remain dry and windy. DeSantis praised firefighters for saving scores of homes overnight. 1,100 homes evacuated as firefighters battle Florida fires Click here to view a map of all active wildfires from the Florida Forest Service. Here's how it started. This added fuel and dense pockets of vegetation from Hurricane Michael will increase the intensity of wildfires.". Unfortunately what we have going on today is almost a carbon copy of yesterdays weather, Joe Zwierzchowski, a spokesman for the Florida Forest Service, said Sunday morning. "The Bertha Swamp (Road) Fire is approximately 9,000 acres and is about 10% contained, and so as you go out and look at that, you know that's a big boy, and it's raging very quickly," DeSantis said Sunday. A heightened risk of severe weather is expected across a large swath of the southern United States on Saturday and Sunday - days after storms cut a deadly path across Texas, Florida and Mississippi. They are working, and they have a positive impact," DeSantis said. "Firefighters are currently battling wildfires on a number of front and the members of our fire service community are giving everything they have to put them out," Patronis said in the release. Michael was the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and only the fourth on record, when it tore through Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base in October 2018. Florida Panhandle Fires Expand To More Than 34,000 Acres. Ron DeSantis made a secondtrip to Bay County on Sunday and said in a news conference thattheBertha Swamp Road Fireis "a big boy and is raging very quickly." They lost it all again in Adkins fire, Wilkies watch their home go up in Adkins fire on security cams, Danger far from over for Adkins Avenue fire as firefighters monitor wind, Aerial video shows just how close Star Avenue Fire came to veterans nursing home, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy, Star Avenue from Nehi Road to Pittsburgh Avenue, Tram Road from E. 15th to North Star Avenue. ", "We do understand that many of our families, and some of our employees, have had to evacuate because of the fires, and we will continue to do all we can to connect them with the resources they need," the release says. Fire forces evacuation of 600 homes in Florida Panhandle PANAMA CITY, Fla. Residents of hundreds of Florida Panhandle homes were evacuated as a wildfire destroyed two houses and damaged 12 others in an area that has spent years recovering from the. This photo provided by Florida Forest Service shows smoke from a wildfire in Bay County, Fla., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Gov. PANAMA CITY Huge wildfires in the Florida Panhandle forced veterans in a nursing home to evacuate Sunday alongside residents of more than 1,000 . CNN Evacuation orders are still in place for about 600 homes in the Florida Panhandle as crews battle at least four dangerous wildfires, authorities said. Public transit was being used to move the residents at the Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans Nursing Home. Like most of Florida, much of the Panhandle is either "abnormally dry" or in . Ron DeSantis has announced over $6 million in relief funds for families affected by the fires in Florida. CNN Firefighters on Wednesday welcomed much-needed rain as a wildfire burning in the Florida Panhandle is threatening areas that were battered by Hurricane Michael in 2018, officials said.. PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Huge wildfires in the Florida Panhandle forced veterans in a nursing home to evacuate Sunday alongside residents of more than 1,000 homes in an area still recovering from a Category 5 hurricane three years ago. "Last night, we had to initiate an evacuation in the area of Bear Creek that was due to the fire up there moving closely. ", No civilian injuries have been reported as of Monday morning. The Florida Forest Service said Monday that evacuation orders affecting more than 1,000 homes, caused by the Bertha Swamp Road Fire and the Adkins Avenue Fire, would remain in place. All three fires are now being referred to as the Chipola Complex, officials said. Buses also were on standby in case the 1,300 inmates at the nearby Bay County jail needed to be evacuated to other facilities. "We've got four National Guard air assets: two Black Hawks and two Chinooks. Hector Rivera and Wandi Blanco put water on hotspots behind their home in Panama City, Fla., Saturday, March 5, 2022, following a wildfire that started Friday. The National Weather Service in Amarillo confirmed that a tornado hit the area shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference in Panama City. Florida Panhandle wildfires: Rain helps firefighters | CNN Local authorities said they didnt know when residents would be able to return to their homes. 1:32. JOIN THE CONVERSATION. Two tourists dead, multiple people rescued as dangerous surf pounds Provided by Florida Forest Service, The News Herald, FEMA gives more federal funds to Bay County to help battle Bertha Swamp Fire, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. We've had to initiate some additional evacuations today due to a fire in the area of Tram Road," Ford said, adding crews are "still fighting that as we speak. The following road closures have been announced: The Star Avenue Fire currently poses no threat to the Bay County Jail, according to Bay County Florida Emergency Services. At least nine people have died in rip currents in the Panama City Beach area in Bay County, Florida, this month. This photo provided by Florida Forest Service shows smoke from a wildfire in Bay County, Fla., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. By The Associated Press Firefighters and emergency workers battled two massive wildfires Sunday in an area of the Florida Panhandle that was still. It is incredibly dry throughout the state and typically we see this kind of activity in the months of April and May, Zwierzchowski said. This is a really significant, fast-moving fire," DeSantis said. 0:04 0:16 BAY COUNTY The Bertha Swamp Road Fire has exploded in size during the past 24 hours. Pensacola weather, flooding in Gulf Breeze: Social media reactions Homes Burned in Florida Wildfires; Interstate 10 Remains Closed By Alyssa Lukpat and Isabella Grulln Paz. Gov. Chipola Complex is the name the Florida Forest Service's Blue Incident Management team is using for the combined efforts to battle both the Adkins Avenue Fire and the Bertha Swamp Road Fire. The National Weather Service in Tallahassee said on Twitter on Sunday that the Bertha Swamp Road fire was burning near where the eye of the hurricane had passed. Gov. Wildfires in Florida's Panhandle have forced hundreds to flee CNN Two of three wildfires making up the Chipola Complex Fire in Florida's panhandle are 95% contained, after the trio of blazes scorched more than 34,000 acres, Florida's Forest. Officials have warned residents should be alert and be prepared to evacuate if ordered. Florida Forest Service officials say these uprooted trees blown over trees left behind serve as fuel for the fires. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference in Panama City. At the news conference, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis recommended that evacuated homeowners contact their insurance companies since it will speed up the claims process should their homes be damaged or destroyed. More than 200 firefighters and emergency workers from throughout the Florida Panhandle worked overnight . The hurricane was directly responsible for 16 deaths and about $25 billion in damage in the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Bay County school district said on Facebook that three of its schools would be closed on Monday because teachers and students who evacuated may not be able to get to school. PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - UPDATE 1:30 p.m.: The Florida Forest Service is now reporting the Adkins Avenue Fire is at 841 acres and 35 percent contained. (modern). Homes along Largo Ave. were evacuated as the fire loomed in the background. Hurricane Michael in 2018 was directly responsible for 16 deaths and about $25bn in damage in the US, and it left behind 72m tons of destroyed trees that have provided fuel for the Bay county wildfires, according to the Florida forest service. March 9, 2022 / 11:30 AM / CBS Miami . The Bertha Swamp Road fire began Friday in Gulf County, about 60 miles southwest of Tallahassee, and spread north into Bay and Calhoun Counties, the Florida Forest Service said. The Florida Department of Transportation warned motorists of high winds Wednesday afternoon in the area of the fire. The first occurred Thursday, June 22, off Blue Mountain . March 9 update: Gov. Three fast-moving wildfires in the Florida Panhandle have consumed more than 10,000 acres and forced the evacuation of more than 1,100 homes, the authorities said. "We haven't been notified of any," Bay County Emergency Services Chief BradMonroe said in a WMBB 13 interview. Rip currents don't need bad weather to happen. Deaths are rising from rip currents along the Florida Panhandle Hundreds of thousands of acres of downed trees from the 2018 hurricane, along with low humidity and strong winds, have created the perfect storm" for hazardous fire conditions in Bay County, Florida, Gov. People living in the Bear Creek area were put under a mandatory evacuation order Saturday when the fire pushed from Gulf County into Bay and Calhoun Counties. While swimming south of the beach's pier earlier this week, Magnolia Woodhead was attacked by a shark, Fox 35 . Bay County Transit wasassisting with the evacuation of the Sims State Veterans Nursing Home and there are seven bulldozers currently working to contain the blaze. Tornado devastates Texas Panhandle town, killing 3 and injuring dozens The Bertha Swamp Road Fire crept into northern Bay County Saturday. Florida Panhandle Fires Expand To More Than 34,000 Acres Unfortunately what we have going on today is almost a carbon copy of yesterdays weather, Joe Zwierzchowski, a spokesman for the Florida forest service, said on Sunday morning. Mr. DeSantis said emergency responders had been injured, but it was not clear how many were hurt or the nature of their injuries. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Hurricane Michael left an additional threat to our communities wildfires," Fried said. Example video title will go here for this video. Local authorities said they didnt know when residents would be able to return to their homes. More accurate mapping has resulted in a decrease in total acres burned on the #AdkinsAvenueFire. Two massive wildfires burning in an area of the Florida Panhandle became three late Sunday, adding a veterans nursing home to the growing list of evacuated dwellings. This photo provided by Florida Forest Service shows smoke from a wildfire in Bay County, Fla., on Saturday, March 5, 2022. They say this fire has been fanned by high winds over the last 24 hours, and high winds are expected to continue Sunday. Ron DeSantis called the larger Bertha Swamp Road Fire a big boy at a news conference in Panama City on Sunday afternoon, saying, Its moving very quickly., The Bertha Swamp Road Fire "has shown extreme activity for two days as steady winds pushed the fire through thick, dry, and dead trees and vegetation left behind from Hurricane Michael," the Forest Service said in a statement, adding, "Today will bring much of the same winds but an increase in humidity and cloud cover could help reduce intensity.". Residents in 600 homes in the Florida Panhandle were evacuated as a . Merritt Brown Middle School and Tommy Smith and Waller elementary schools were closed Monday as a result of the raging fires in Bay County. Fire officials say there has been increased activity Sunday morning. Evacuations are still in effect for the Bear Creek area due to theBertha Swamp Road Fire, which grew significantly Monday to 13,000 acres. They ask people to stay away from the area. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Local emergency official said no homes were destroyed and there were no injuries on Saturday, the second day of battling the Adkins Avenue fire. Two men have died and multiple people have been rescued from the Gulf of Mexico as deadly rip currents continue to grip Florida's Panhandle, according to the Walton County Sheriff's Office.. DeSantis Is in Bay County Responding to Wildfire Damages https://t.co/ylHp9T4PtA. At the news conference, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis recommended that evacuated homeowners contact their insurance companies since it will speed up the claims process should their homes be damaged or destroyed. Wildfires are a well-known menace in the American West, though it appears that threat could be making its way east. Wildfires are never easy control. All rights reserved. The much-larger Bertha Swamp fire started in neighboring Gulf county on Friday but spread to Bay and Calhoun counties on Saturday, forcing the evacuation of another 150 homes. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Panhandle wildfires near 10,000 acres, evacuations still in place - WJHG While fire apparatuses and17 bulldozers were working to contain the Bertha Swamp Road Fire on Sunday, more than a dozen tractors and structure protection units were also on the ground. Veterans alsohave been allowed to return to Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans Nursing Home. Additional mandatory evacuationsare inplace for anyone who liveseast of U.S. 231 and south of Scotts Ferry Roadto the SouthBear Creek Roadarea in the Bear Creek community. How to help victims of the Adkins Avenue and Bertha Swamp Road wildfires. Over 1,000 homes evacuated as firefighters battle Florida Panhandle fires More than 600 homes evacuated, 1K acres on fire in Florida panhandle - WFLA The hurricane was directly responsible for 16 deaths and about $25 billion in damage in the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Fire apparatuses and 25 bulldozers were working to contain the blaze Sunday, the Bay County EMS reported on itsFacebook page. Thomasville, FEATURED PODCAST - Not So Black and White: A community's divided history, Network of Entrepreneurs and Business Advocates Tallahassee, International Shark File at the Florida Museum of Natural History, Gov. The fire forced the evacuation of the 120-bed Clifford Chester Sims State Veterans' Nursing Home in Panama City. Florida Panhandle wildfires: Thousands of acres near Panama City are PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Crews are working to contain two large wildfires burning out of control between Panama City and Tallahassee that forced evacuations of communities in Bay County and have burned nearly 10,000 acres combined. PANAMA CITY, Fla. Residents of hundreds of Florida Panhandle homes were evacuated as a wildfire destroyed two houses and damaged 12 others in an area that has spent years recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Michael, emergency crews said Saturday. Have patience as we ask you to evacuate from your homes," Patronis said. Firefighters continue to battle a series of wildfires that began in the Florida Panhandle Friday. By Monday morning it had. He also confirmed that several first responders have been injured while tending to the fires. Firefighters are now battling three wildfires in the Florida Panhandle:a fire that started Friday on the east side of Panama Cityknown as the Adkins Avenue Fire, a massive blazecalledthe Bertha Swamp Road Firethatcrept into Bay County on Saturday afternoon, and a third blaze thatpopped upsouth of Tram Road and west of Star Avenue. In 2018, Hurricane Michael left behind thousands of acres of dead trees, which served as tinder for this weekends fires, Ms. Sale said. PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) Residents of hundreds of Florida Panhandle homes were evacuated as a wildfire destroyed two houses and damaged 12 others in an area that has spent . Wildfires are never easy control. "The Bertha Swamp Fire is now 9,000 acres," Monroe said Sunday. Bay County Emergency Services said Sunday thatan additional fire in the areasprouted, with it being approximately 200 acres and 10% contained.
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