The National Weather Service has issued a fire weather watch for 27 of Florida’s 67 counties.
Farther north, a red flag warning is in effect for 33 counties.
The watches and warnings were issued as Florida continues to suffer one of the worst droughts in years.
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Drought conditions continue to impact 99% of the state. More than 100 wildfires were burning almost 12,000 acres on April 20.
Here’s what it means when there’s a fire weather watch and a red flag warning.
Weather alerts issued in Florida
What is a fire weather watch?
A fire weather watch means critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur within the next 24 to 48 hours, according to the National Weather Service.
➤ More than 100 wildfires burning in Florida. See locations, road conditions
A fire weather watch is issued by the National Weather Service when a combination of factors could quickly lead to fire growth, including:
Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
What is a red flag warning?
A red flag warning means critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will happen within the next 24 hours.
The criteria used to issue a red flag warning differs by state, the National Weather Service said.
In Florida, the criteria include:
Fire risks increase under red flag warning
The combination of conditions as mentioned above “results in an increased risk for a wildland fire or rapid-fire growth if an incident were to occur,” according to the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
Red flag warning safety tips
Here’s what you can do to reduce the chance for wildfires while under a red flag warning, according to IFAC.org:
Burn bans in effect across Florida
County-enacted burn bans were in effect for 31 of Florida’s 67 counties as of April 20.
A burn ban typically prohibits the outside burning of yard trash and vegetation, as well as campfires, bonfires and burn barrels, but can vary by county.
Burn bans are issued when there’s a high risk for wildfires and include such conditions as:
Current drought conditions in Florida
The U.S. Drought Monitor on April 14 (the latest date with data available) provided the following breakdown on how bad the drought is in Florida:
Drought and dryness categories: 99% of Florida
Total area in drought: 99%, impacting 18.1 million Florida residents.
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What’s next?
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Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://heraldtribune.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Fire weather watch issued for 27 Florida counties. What that means
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
