Overview
- The National Weather Service issued Red Flag Warnings on Friday for the Treasure Coast and for Northeast Florida east of I-75 due to low humidity and gusty westerly winds.
- Flagler County declared a seven-day local emergency and burn ban starting at 5 p.m. Friday, limiting open fires, fireworks and parking on high grass, with attended grills still permitted.
- St. Lucie and Indian River counties enacted burn bans, Okeechobee’s ban has been in place since Jan. 31, Sumter has a ban, Marion issued a voluntary ban, and Orange prohibits yard debris burning.
- The Florida Forest Service reported five active wildfires in Northeast Florida this week, leading to road closures and a school shutdown, and a 170-acre Flagler County fire reported Wednesday was fully contained by Thursday.
- Officials expect elevated fire danger for several days and urge residents to avoid outdoor burning, keep vehicles off dry grass, discard cigarettes properly, and consider N95 masks if smoke is present.