BAY COUNTY, Fla — An 800-acre wildfire in Bay County has prompted a state of emergency.
The Adkins Road fire has burned more than 800 acres, the Florida Forest Service said Friday.
🔥WILDFIRE UPDATE#AdkinsAvenueFire in Bay Co is currently 800 acres & growing. 600 homes have been evacuated. More than a dozen @FLForestService tractor/plow units are on-scene, multiple helicopters as well as resources from county & local fire departments. Updates to follow. https://t.co/xU261zQkGJ
— Florida Forest Service (@FLForestService) March 4, 2022
The fire is between Tyndall Parkway and Highway 31 moving north. The area from Transmitter Road to Star Avenue between Highway 321 and Highway 98 is under mandatory evacuation.
About 1,000 homes had been evacuated, according to the Florida Forest Service.
Two or more homes have been burned by the fire and other structures are still in danger, the Bay County Sheriff's Office said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency for Bay County on Friday night after the Division of Emergency Management requested a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA in response to the Adkins Road fire.
RELATED: Evacuations underway due to wildfire that has burned more than 100 acres in Florida panhandle
Several fires are still burning in Bay County, according to the sheriff's office.
The Florida Forest Service warned earlier today that fire danger levels are elevated statewide due to critically low humidity. The Florida Highway Patrol is assisting with evacuations of impacted residents and supplementing local law enforcement agency efforts with increased patrol in Bay County.
FHP troopers were also monitoring Highway 231 for smoke and low-visibility conditions.
