A fire wespanther wspantch has been issued for a large portion of Florida’s East Coast and inland counties.
The watch is in effect from noon Friday through 7 p.m.
The Nspantionspanl Wespanther Service Melbourne issued the watch, saying “critical” fire weather conditions are forecast, including dry vegetation, gusty winds and low humidity.
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What counties are included in the fire weather watch?
The watch area includes: Inland Volusia, northern Lake, Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Okeechobee, coastal Volusia, southern Lake, coastal Indian River, coastal St. Lucie, coastal Martin, inland northern Brevard, inland Indian River, inland St. Lucie, inland Martin, mainland northern Brevard, northern Brevard barrier islands, inland southern Brevard, mainland southern Brevard and southern Brevard barrier islands.
Key points about the Florida fire watch
- When: Noon Friday through 7 p.m. Friday
- Winds: 15-20 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph
- Humidity: as low as 30%
- Temperatures: in the mid 80s
- Impacts: Any new or existing fires will be capable of spreading rapidly
What is a fire weather watch?
A fire weather watch is issued when the combination of dry fuels and weather conditions support extreme fire danger. A watch is issued up to 72 hours before the conditions are expected to occur.
What is a red flag warning?
A red flag warning is issued under the same conditions as a fire weather watch but when the conditions are expected to occur or are occurring within the next 24 hours.
Are there any burn bans in effect in Florida?
There currently are no county-enacted burn bans in effect, according to the Floridspan Forest Service.
Burning of yard debris is always prohibited in these counties: Duval, Hillsborough, Orange, Pinellas and Sarasota.