Adam Putnam: Worsening Drought Sparks New Fire Dangers

Florida's deepening drought is raising red flags, and fires.

State Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said the long-burning 168,000-acre fire in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge straddling the Florida-Georgia border could spread to 300,000 acres or more if rainfall isn't forthcoming.

Erupting in late April, the Honey Prairie Fire was declared 80 percent contained on Friday, but it has already consumed roughly half of the refuge, and tinder-dry conditions have hampered firefighters' efforts.

"The current drought is approaching the 1998 record fire season," Putnam said Friday on the sidelines of the Florida Water Forum in Orlando.

Putnam reported that 300 smaller, isolated fires were blazing around the state this week.

"There's not any part of the state that is not in drought conditions. If we have a wind event, we'll really be in a dangerous situation," he said.

Earlier this week, portions of Palm Beach and Broward counties were declared to be at "D4" ("exceptional drought") levels, the driest conditions on the National Weather Service's scale.