Conditions continue to worsen in Florida, with more than two-thirds of the state now suffering from extreme drought.
According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Drought Monitor Tuesday, Feb. 17, 67.4% of the state is experiencing extreme drought.
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How much of the state is under various levels of drought conditions? A total of 98.8% of the state is seeing conditions range from abnormally dry to extreme drought.
Burn bans in effect in 35 Florida counties
Thirty-five of Florida’s 67 counties have issued burn bans, as of Feb. 17.
Burning yard debris is always prohibited in three counties:
What is a burn ban?
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.
➤ Polk County Fire Rescue responds to multiple large brush fires
Burn bans are issued when there’s a high risk for wildfires and include such conditions as:
Wildfires burning more than 6,000 acres across Florida
There were 74 wildfires burning 6,114 acres across Florida, according to the Florida Forest Service Feb. 19.
Are any roads closed due to smoke from wildfires?
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, at 10 a.m. Feb. 19, no roads are closed due to wildfires.
However, motorists are used to urge caution due to smoke in in these locations:
Current drought conditions in Florida
Here are the latest conditions reported in Florida by the U.S. Drought Monitor Feb. 17:
Total percentage of Florida in drought: 98.8%
How can you conserve water while it’s dry in Florida?
Here are some suggestions from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida’s water management districts on how you can save water both inside and outside your home:
Inside
Outside
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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://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Much of Florida suffering lack of rain. What about fire, water shortages?
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
