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Rain Arrives Just In Time, For Now

    Sunday evening’s heavy rain event arrived just in time for North Lake County.  Increasingly dry conditions brought on by a lack of rainfall, recent freezes, and increasing temperatures had raised fire risk levels throughout the area, with several counties enacting burn bans in recent weeks.
    Relief came on Sunday night when an average 1.5 inches fell throughout the area in the first significant rain event of the new year.  The precipitation helped quell brush fires in the area, as well as - at least briefly - reduced the fire risk associated with what has been a prolonged dry spell.
    “Any rainfall we receive this time of year helps lower the risk of wildfires. However, due to the freezing temperatures experienced this winter, there is now a tremendous amount of dead and dried vegetation, creating significant fuel-load hazards for this year’s wildfire season," said Public Safety Director David Kilbury. "These conditions mean fires can start easily and spread quickly. Even if a burn ban is not currently in place, extreme caution should always be taken.”
    The rain stemmed an increasingly dire wildfire situation throughout the area.
    SR 19 was closed from SR 40 north to CR 314 over the weekend as a fire north of SR 40 blocked visibility in the area.  A 360 acre wildfire south of Salt Springs and near SR 19 was reportedly 0% contained before Sunday’s rainfall event, after having started on Saturday, February 14.  On Monday, after Sunday night’s rain, the road was reopened.
    Another four-acre fire was burning in the Alexander Springs area over the weekend, with containment data unavailable early this week.
    On February 10, Lake County Fire Rescue joined the Florida Forest Service, Eustis Fire Department, and the Mount Dora Fire Department for a brush fire in the area of CR44A east of Eustis.  The fire posed a risk to homes in the area, leading to a localized evacuation of homes.  The Lake County Sheriff’s Office assisted with drone operations, tracking the fire from the air.  The blaze covered an estimated 94 acres and was reported as 100% contained.
     More broadly, the Florida Forest Service reported that on February 15 it responded to nine fires in the Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Sumter, and Lake County areas, with all fires contained. 
    Conditions changed dramatically on Monday, with officials with Lake County Fire Rescue stating that the department went from chasing brush fires ‘all day’ on Sunday to having none reported on Monday.  However, it is feared that without more rain arriving soon, conditions will revert to those of last week rather quickly.