Heavy smoke and debris led to closure of a 15-mile stretch of Interstate 4 Monday. Inmates from the Polk Correctional Institution also had to be evacuated. No homes have been damaged but as many as 75 could be threatened, according to reports from Florida emergency management. The Salvation Army and American Red Cross have been providing food and water for firefighters, and the Red Cross is sheltering evacuees. Wildfires are easily ignited and spread because Florida is currently experiencing a severe drought.
Drought causes low soil moisture levels, creating ultra-dry brush that catches fires easily.
In addition, limited surface water supply is limiting the ability of firefighters to combat blazes. Since January the state has had 1,232 fires that have burned 83,150 acres. Eleven Florida counties have imposed burn restrictions. At this time last year, many rivers and lakes maintained sufficient water levels for firefighters to use. But this year many of those same rivers or lakes are dry, near dry, or have levels too low to support helicopter fire fighting operations.