Three wildfires in the Florida Panhandle have burned through more than 13,000 acres and forced evacuations of at least 1,100 homes in an area still recovering from a Category 5 hurricane three years ago.
The Bertha Swamp Road Fire is estimated at 12,000 acres and is 10% contained as of Monday morning, according to the Florida Forest Service. The fire began in Gulf County on Friday and was pushed by winds into neighboring Calhoun and Bay counties on Saturday.
Fire officials say that steady winds and dead trees left behind by Hurricane Michael have fueled the spread of the fire, but noted that an increase in humidity and cloud cover Monday could help reduce intensity.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday called the Bertha Swamp Road fire “a big boy,” at a news conference in Panama City. “It’s moving very quickly.”
As of Monday morning, the Adkins Avenue Fire is 841 acres and 40% contained, the Florida Forest Service reports. It began burning in Bay County on Friday. Fire officials initially said it was 1,400 acres, but adjusted the size downward once they could conduct better mapping.
