One Marion County resident died yesterday when he lost control of a fire on his property. 66-year-old Warren Wimberly had a permit to burn 2 acres of land, but a heavy gust of wind spread the fire. Florida Division of Forestry spokeswoman Ludie Bond says wind can greatly increase the potential damage from fire.
“That is going to push your fire faster, change the direction, increase the direction your fire moves,” she says.
Marion County Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Miranda Iglesias says permit owners should wait until conditions improve to burn their land. The dry land and heavy winds heighten the risk of danger in otherwise routine burns.