Increased wildfire risk: Camden County officials urge caution amid dry, windy conditions

Yahoo

21-04-2025

The risk of fires is increasing in our region, with this month being drier than average.
That's why Camden County fire officials are urging people to be cautious. They said most fires are caused by people, and dry, windy conditions only make things worse.
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Action News Jax received video of the aftermath of a fire at the Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Site in Camden County.
Water was poured from a helicopter while firefighters were on the ground with their hoses.
'We have been fighting a fire there over the last couple days,' Camden County Fire Marshal Chris Goebel said.
According to the First Alert Weather Team, we've been seeing multiple dry days with little to no rain. This is raising concerns among fire officials, as it increases the chances of wildfires, especially for Camden County.
'This wasn't the only fire our department was having to face,' said Goebel.
In Camden County, fire crews recently responded to two separate fires—one in the Horse Stamp Church Road area and another at the municipal solid waste landfill site.
Officials posted the following message on their Facebook page:
'Due to ongoing fire response efforts at the MSW landfill site, the landfill will remain closed Monday, April 21, 2025. As a result, trash collection will be delayed by one day.'
'None of our firefighters, and none of our citizens have been injured in any of these fires,' said Goebel.
The St. Johns County Fire Department issued this advice to homeowners:
'The biggest thing that a homeowner can do is create defensible space around their home. This means clearing out dry grass, leaves, and trees, and removing any dead plants. This prevents fire spread and allows firefighters to properly protect your home.'
The Camden County Fire Marshal said the landfill fire is under control. As of right now, he said it is unclear what started the fire, but no one has been hurt.
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