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Brush fire spreads across South Daytona Beach
FOX 35's Noah Bergren talks wind speeds and Florida drought as a brush fire spreads throughout South Daytona, with evacuations taking place on Cyan Avenue on Feb. 23.
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.
Watch: Full press conference
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Daytona Beach Fire Department: Brush fire spreads to over 100-acres
Press Conference | The Daytona Beach Fire Department updated the public on a brush fire that started at 20 t0 25 acres on Monday morning, Feb. 23 and grew to over 100 acres throughout the day. Homes in the Mosaic subdivision were being evacuated with a 30-foot fire line behind the homes. Eighty homes have been evacuated.
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."
Source: U.S. Drought Monitor
Current fires in Florida
To view other fires in Florida, view the Florida Forest Service website.
When will the red flag warning end?
What's next:
A red flag warning will remain in portions of Central Florida through 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 23.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the Orlando Fire Department and National Weather Service.