Source(s):
Rick Williams rawilliams@ifas.ufl.edu, (850) 983-5216 ext. 102
Alan Long ajl2@ufl.edu, (352) 846-0891
PENSACOLA, Fla.—With the approach of drier weather during the next couple of months, University of Florida forestry experts warn that many areas of the state could experience a severe fire season in areas hit hard by the 2004 hurricanes.
Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne damaged or destroyed more than 7 million acres of forest in 34 counties, creating conditions on the ground that could fuel wildfires that are more intense and widespread, said Richard Williams, an associate professor of forestry with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, or UF/IFAS.
“Of course, it all depends on the weather as we enter the usual dry period between April and June,” Williams said. “The reason we are so concerned about fires this year is that the storms added tons of trees, limbs, pine needles and leaves that are now on or close to the forest floor.”
Some trees were knocked down by the storms while others are broken or bent over so that the entire crown area is within easy reach of a fire burning on the forest floor. “With all this added fuel, we expect that fires will burn hotter than in other years,” he said.
Williams, based at UF’s West Florida Research and Education Center in Milton, said crews have been working statewide to remove downed and broken trees from forested areas, but the task is hard to complete in some forest areas because of time and resource constraints.
Even small amounts of plant material on the forest floor can make fires more severe, he said. “If these forests have not been salvage-harvested by now, that additional vegetative matter will provide a substantial increase in fuels for wildfires.”
In the forests of Central and North Florida, the added fuel will create greater hazards for fire fighters, Williams said.
“We are looking at some very dangerous situations if fire breaks out in these areas,” he said. “In areas with many downed trees, fire fighters could get boxed in by fires with little room for escape. And to make matters more difficult, intense smoke will reduce visibility.”
In addition, the movement of tractors and other heavy equipment fire fighters need could be hindered by forest debris.
Alan Long, an associate professor in the UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources and Conservation, said that residents who live in or near heavily forested areas that were impacted by the hurricanes should clear damaged trees or debris, if they have not done so already.
If the trees and debris cannot be removed from the property, cut them up and move them as far away from any structures as possible, he said. Residents should also avoid burning debris on dry or windy days.
“Depending on the weather during the next few months, these worst-case scenarios may not happen, but all the ingredients are in place for a difficult fire season,” Long said.
For more information on clearing damaged trees or other debris, contact your local UF/IFAS county extension office, http://extension.ifas.ufl.edu
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