WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida Forest Rangers are warning about how easily forest fires can catch during dry and windy weather conditions as they work to fully contain the Wakulla wildfire, which is holding at 545 acres.
The fire is 90 percent contained and there are still smoldering areas of fire and ash while firefighters continue patrolling containment lines to prevent further spread.
Susan Blake, a specialist with the National Forests of Florida, explains what caused that fire to spread so quickly.
"Well, the national weather service issued a Red Flag Warning, so that means high winds and drought conditions were favorable for wildfire," said Blake. "So, this could have been a naturally occurring fire. It's under investigation but the conditions were ideal for wildfire."
Rangers remind campers that he Apalachicola National Forest area is currently under a burn ban due to unseasonably high drought and lack of rain.
The ban will be in effect through July 31.
