FFS calls South Interstate Fire controlled
FFS calls South Interstate Fire controlled
Milton, FL – Officials with Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center declared the South Interstate Fire controlled on Wednesday, just more than a week after the blaze began.
The 237-acre wildfire started north of Interstate 10 before high winds and dry conditions fanned the flames and pushed it two miles to the south. Wildland firefighters from the Florida Forest Service as well as six area fire departments responded June 26. One structure – the transmitter station for WEBY – was damaged during the fire.
Some of the area has received scattered precipitation recently which is a welcome sign of things to come but along with the recent rains comes lightning. Forest Service firefighters have responded to two wildfires this week, one of which might be lightning caused.
“We have a regular chance of rain in the forecast for the next few days and the expected lightning activity associated with these storms is something for us to be aware of,” said Blackwater operations Administrator David Smith. “Lightning accounts for roughly 23% of all fires in Florida but only 6% in Blackwater District. The more lightning you have in an area, the better the chances of a fire.”
The current Keetch-Byram Drought Index for the district is 465 on a scale of 0 to 800 with 0 being the wet and 800 dry. The normal range for our area during the summer months is 301-500.
