61 wildfires burning in Florida, Red Flag Warnings out. Map shows where fires are
Drought conditions continue to impact Florida and no respite is expected Friday, March 28.
For the second day in a row, wildfires threatened homes, prompting residents to be evacuated. Thursday afternoon, the Gator Fire in Palm City burned 210 acres. As of Friday morning, it was 50% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service.
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On the opposite side of the state, residents in a Collier County neighborhood were evacuated as flames came close to their homes Wednesday.
As of Friday morning, there were 61 fires in Florida, burning 28,837 acres.
Most of Florida's peninsula is abnormally dry, with two large sections of the state under severe drought conditions, according to the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
The National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings for 14 counties:
Charlotte
Citrus
DeSoto
Hardee
Hernando
Hillsborough
Lake
Lee
Manatee
Pasco
Pinellas
Polk
Sarasota
Sumter
➤ Wildfires threaten more Florida homes as drought worsens. Will it rain soon?
A red flag warning is issued when "critical fire weather conditions" are in place.
"A red flag warning means warm temperatures, very low humidity, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger," the National Weather Service said.
Pensacola, western Panhandle: Friday, March 28, will be dry, according to the National Weather Service Mobile.
Tallahassee, central Panhandle: Dry weather will continue through Friday, according to the National Weather Service Tallahassee.
Northeast Florida: Friday will be partly sunny and breezy. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph, according to the National Weather Service Jacksonville.
East-central Florida: It'll be warm and partly sunny Friday with gusty conditions, according to the National Weather Service Melbourne.
South Florida: Friday will be dry with breezy winds that could gust up to 30 mph, according to the National Weather Service Miami.
Southwest Florida: Expect very warm and dry conditions Friday, March 28, the National Weather Service Tampa Bay said.
We will continue to update our weather coverage as conditions warrant. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida fires grow. Track with interactive map the shows locations
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