Over 70 acres catch fire in 2 Central Florida areas amid red flag warning

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A red flag warning is issued for the Florida Panhandle and Florida Big Bend due to low humidity and gusty winds, the National Weather Service reported.

the Orlando Fire Department fought a fire on Arnold Palmer Drive on Feb. 23.

What we know:

A red flag warning is designated when potentially hazardous fire weather conditions are imminent or already occurring, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said.

Red flag warnings are associated with the largest 10% of fires. The warnings are issued if relative humidity falls below 35% for four hours or more, Volusia County said.

With northwest winds traveling 15 to 20 miles per hour, gusts up to 28 miles per hour, a low humidity of 15 to 18 percent, fires that develop will likely spread rapidly, the National Weather Service said.

the Orlando Fire Department fought a fire on Arnold Palmer Drive on Feb. 23.

Brush fires in Central Florida

Fire crews addressed an eight-acre fire in Orlando, Monday morning.

The Orlando Fire Department responded to a fire on the 5500 block of Arnold Palmer Drive around 6 a.m., Feb. 23.

Around 11 a.m., the fire had spread to eight acres and was 80% contained, the fire department confirmed. No structures were in danger.

"We didn't encounter anyone out there," Spencer Bashinski, Assistant Chief of the Orlando Fire Department, said.

Crews were conducting "back burning" to contain the fire in the area, Bashinski said.

The fire department has not determined the origin of the fire.

the Orlando Fire Department fought a fire on Arnold Palmer Drive on Feb. 23.

Fire crews are also fighting a brush fire in Daytona Beach. At around noon, the fire was 70 acres and 50% contained.

Drought increases likelihood of fire

The state of Florida is experiencing a drought. While areas of north and south Florida are – about 67% of the state – are in extreme drought, Central Florida is experiencing moderate drought and off the coast, near Orlando, is abnormally dry, the U.S. drought monitor shows.

Within Central Florida, Brevard, Flagler, Marion, Osceola, Polk and Sumter are under a burn ban.

Bashinski spoke about the dry climate, saying, "It doesn't take much to get fires like this going. The conditions are pretty ripe for brush fires and the wind today is contributing to the growth of this fire."