FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Flagler County is under a local state of emergency for the next week due to extremely dry and dangerous conditions.
This declaration follows firefighters’ tireless efforts last week and over the weekend to contain a massive 170-acre wildfire on the south end of Flagler County near the Volusia border.
A burn ban is now in effect throughout Flagler County to prevent further fires.
Dozens of residents had to evacuate as the wildfire ripped through the area. The fire department said the blaze is now 100% contained but warns there is an extremely high risk for more fires this week.
[BELOW: Video shows helicopter near raging brush fire in Flagler County]
“We had it in a good position and the winds changed as the fronts rolled in and it broke out very fast. They can double in intensity in no time at all,” said Flagler County Fire Chief Michael Tucker.
Video from Community Baptist Church shows Flagler Fire-Flight stopping the blaze before it reached their building.
“The freeze created a lot of fuel for us. Things that were normally dry or wet are now dead and drying,” Tucker added.
[BELOW: Central Florida drought conditions worsen; more burn bans expected]
It wasn’t just this large wildfire making for a busy weekend.
Chief Tucker says firefighters have been swamped putting out small fires before they grow.
“It was so thick it was coming into my house and it was affecting my cats and us breathing so we had to close up the house and make reservations at a hotel,” said Paula Greene.
Greene is one of the Plantation Bay area residents who watched the wildfire creep near her home and received a county text alert to prepare for evacuation.
“I can’t believe people actually lit a fire with these conditions,” Greene said.
She is pleading with her neighbors to heed the warnings.
“This is very critical. I hope that they pay more attention to the fire department,” Greene said.
The seven-day state of emergency and burn ban could be extended depending on whether conditions improve.