Hundreds evacuated as wildfires rage in Florida Panhandle
In this image made from video taken May 6, 2020 by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, fire and smoke rise from trees alongside a road in Santa Rosa County, Florida. Wildfires raging in the Florida Panhandle have forced nearly 500 people to evacuate from their homes, authorities said. (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services via AP)
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say firefighters in the Florida Panhandle are battling wildfires that have forced some 1,600 people to evacuate from their homes.
Smoke from the fires caused officials to close a stretch of Interstate 10 in both directions Thursday.
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried said Thursday that the fire is an extremely dangerous and fast-moving situation.
In Walton County, a 575-acre fire prompted about 500 people to evacuate.
Authorities there say multiple structures were lost in the fire, which was 65% contained Thursday morning.
Around 1,100 residents were asked to evacuate homes in neighboring Santa Rosa County.
