BAY COUNTY, Fla. – This morning, the Florida Forest Service (FFS) announced the Adkins Avenue Fire near Panama City has reached 1,400 acres.
FFS wildland firefighters and resources from numerous fire and emergency service departments from throughout the Panhandle worked through the night to strengthen containment lines, protect homes, and monitor the fire’s edge, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Walton County Fire and Rescue is among those fighting the blaze.
Crews will continue to work in unified command toward containing the 1,400-acre Adkins Avenue Fire. The fire is 30 percent contained. Six hundred homes have been evacuated. Two homes have been confirmed destroyed and 12 more damaged.
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The cause of the fire is under investigation. A burn ban has been issued for all of Bay County.
The FFS has deployed more than a dozen tractor plow units as well as multiple helicopters to the Adkins Avenue Fire. Additional resources from local and county fire and emergency services are also on-scene.
Motorists and residents are encouraged to remain clear of the area. There is no timeline for when residents will be allowed to return home. More than 200 firefighters and emergency personnel are working diligently around the clock to help suppress this wildfire and facilitate swift, coordinated emergency response.
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Fire danger levels are elevated statewide. There are currently 143 active wildfires burning approximately 4,700 acres across Florida, including the 1,600-acre Bertha Swamp Fire in Gulf County. It is important for residents to use extreme caution and remain aware of current wildfire activity.
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland, and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres.
