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WPEC-TV CBS12 News :: News - Treasure Coast News - Dry conditions put a damper on controlled burns

Dry conditions put a damper on controlled burns

HOBE SOUND, Fla. -- The Sunshine State is so dry, state agencies say it will take a tropical storm to quench its thirst. Today top state officials predicted a mean fire season. Our entire region tonight, from Sebastian to Okeechobee to Palm Beach, is under a fire weather watch and red flag warning.

Florida's agricultural commissioner is demanding a reduction of controlled burns since the fire danger is so high right now. A walk through the woods with Florida Fire Service shows us the three inches of rain here last weekend was not enough.

"I could throw a match down right now and we could catch this area on fire," said Melissa Yunas, Florida Forest Service.

The entire state is under a high fire risk. In St. Lucie County the 80 acre fire was sparked by lightning. There has been three additional fires in Martin County in recent weeks, all started by people.

But controlled and prescribed burns are methods used to manage forests, wildlife habitats and agriculture lands. It reduces undergrowth and dried vegetation that accumulates over time that can be an accelerant in wildfires.

"The bark, the pine needles, it's still dry and crumbling in my hand. So that tells me that we could still have a wildfire in this area," said Yunas.

Approximately 39,000 acres are burning across Florida. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam says the dry conditions are keeping authorities from doing most controlled burns.

"It's a pretty serious situation that the state's in and will continue to be in throughout the spring and summer," said Putnam.

"100 percent of the state is in a drought. This was as of last Thursday or Friday and about 12 percent is in the highest category which is exceptional drought and real significant impacts on our fire and our fuels. When you get into this kind of drought it's going to short fall. It's going to take more. It's going to take more than an answer even at some places that got 2 inches around the state this week. It's going to take a pretty significant event. It's probably going to take some kind of tropical event," said Jim Karels, Florida Forest Service.Dry conditions put a damper on controlled burns

Tuesday, May 1 2012, 02:34 PM EDT

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