07 May 2020 | 02:48 PM UTC
US: Wildfire prompts evacuation of residents in Santa Rosa county (Florida state) May 7
Hundreds of residents in Santa Rosa county (Florida state) evacuated on May 7 due to ongoing wildfire; containment efforts ongoing
Event
On Thursday, May 7, officials ordered the evacuation of more than 500 people from Santa Rosa county (Florida state) amid an ongoing 2000-acre wildfire which has thus far destroyed at least 20 homes. The blaze, which is 65 percent contained as of Thursday morning (local time), originally began as a prescribed burn on Monday, May 4, before growing out of control by Wednesday afternoon, May 6. Emergency personnel have closed a section of Interstate 10 in the affected area and firefighters have been deployed to combat the blaze. The National Weather Service has issued an advisory for northwest Florida state warning that dry weather conditions could further promote further spread of the fire.
A heightened security presence and localized transportation disruptions, namely road closures, should be anticipated in the affected areas.
Advice
Individuals in Santa Rosa county and the surrounding area are advised to monitor the situation, avoid the area, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.
