BAKER COUNTY, Fla. – A rare red flag warning was issued Thursday for parts of Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, as gusty winds, very low humidity and severe to extreme drought created conditions that can quickly spark new wildfires or cause existing fires to spread.
The Florida Forest Service reported five active wildfires in Northeast Florida. Crews also responded to dozens of fires earlier this week, and some incidents have led to road closures and school disruptions, officials said.
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The National Weather Service in Jacksonville said the red flag warning covered areas east of Interstate 75, including Duval and surrounding counties, through 6 p.m. Forecasters expected westerly winds to increase and become gusty during the afternoon.
“We’ve issued a Red Flag Warning for all areas east of Interstate 75 in Northeast Florida,” Ben Nelson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jacksonville, said. “We’re expecting westerly winds to really increase and become gusty this afternoon. We know that we’ve got the ongoing severe to extreme drought conditions in our area.”
In Baker County, a brush fire that broke out Wednesday and led to lane closures and a smoke advisory along Interstate 10 and U.S. 90 on Thursday, according to local reports.
In Putnam County, wildfire activity prompted Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Elementary School to close for the day, and multiple roads were closed Thursday morning, officials said.
A Red Flag Warning is issued when weather and ground conditions make it easier for fires to ignite and spread rapidly. Officials urged residents in affected areas to take precautions, including:
- Avoiding outdoor burning
- Keeping vehicles off dry grass
- Properly discarding cigarettes and other smoking materials
Residents impacted by smoke should consider using an N95 mask outdoors to reduce exposure to particulates, Nelson said.
Fire officials also cautioned residents not to fly recreational drones over wildfire scenes, saying drones can interfere with aircraft used to fight fires.
Fire danger is expected to remain elevated for the next several days, with no significant precipitation in the forecast until late next week, forecasters said.
For updated conditions and local warnings, residents can check National Weather Service alerts and Florida Forest Service incident information.