Where there’s smoke there’s fire. And as the sun began to set on Tallahassee on Tuesday, a yellowy haze clung to the city.
As the state and region endure tinderbox conditions while in the grips of a historic drought, wildfires are raging across Florida.
In Tallahassee, there are no current wildfires, but firefighters took on two residential blazes on April 21 and warned residents that even small sparks can quickly spread. With ongoing dry conditions and an elevated risk of fire danger, residents are reminded to avoid outdoor burning, keep vehicles off dry grass and properly dispose of smoking materials.
The nearest significant wildfire to Leon County, which is one of 37 of Florida’s 67 counties under a burn ban, is the Mill Pond blaze in Liberty County. First discovered on March 19, the fire has consumed 1,754 acres and is 70 percent contained.
But that’s not the source of the smoke in Florida’s capital city, according to NOAA and The Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Service (WFIGS). An interactive wildfire and smoke tracker that can be bookmarked on data.tallahassee.com/fires/ shows smoke blowing in from the east from the Pineland Road fire in Georgia, 13 miles northwest from Fargo, Ga. The fire, which ignited on April 18, has burned 8,911 acres and is 10% contained.
As the smokey haze hangs over downtown, air quality in Tallahassee is currently listed as moderate.
Below are tools to track wildfires, smoke, air quality and drought conditions in Florida.
Map shows location of active wildfires, smoke impacts across Florida
Smoke affecting air quality in some Florida counties
According to the EPA, the air quality in the Gainesville area is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Elsewhere, air quality ranges from good to moderate.
➤ See breakdown of air quality by Florida county
How do I protect myself when air quality is bad or if I have breathing problems?
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, here’s what you can do to protect yourself if you have breathing problems or the air quality is bad where you live:
If you are at home:
If you have to go outdoors:
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:
➤ Strict water use rules sweep the nation ahead of summer
Red flag warnings, fire weather watches issued for most of Florida
Red flag warnings have been issued for 32 of Florida’s 67 counties, and fire weather watches have been issued for 11 counties.
Interactive map: Enter your address to find closest wildfire risks
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida fire watch: How to track wildfires, smoke from Tallahassee
Reporting by William L. Hatfield, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
