Red flag warning issued for much of Southwest Florida for Friday

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning from noon to 7 p.m. today for Southwest Florida areas including Lee, DeSoto, Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties.

A combination of warm temperatures this afternoon, low relative humidity values, and sustained winds greater than 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph will create Red Flag conditions across much of west central and Southwest Florida this afternoon.

Combined with large quantities of dry fuels those conditions can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

The totality of the affected area includes the following counties and areas: Sumter, Pinellas, Polk, Hardee, DeSoto, Coastal Citrus, Coastal Hernando, Coastal Pasco, Coastal Hillsborough, Coastal Manatee, Coastal Sarasota, Coastal Charlotte, Coastal Lee, Inland Citrus, Inland Hernando, Inland Pasco, Inland Hillsborough, Inland Manatee, Inland Sarasota, Inland Charlotte and Inland Lee.

Collier County fire update

A 10-acres-plus brush fire in the vicinity of mile marker 110 on I-75 in Collier County this week is now 100 percent contained with the cause undetermined and under investigation.

The total number of North Collier Fire Rescue apparatus on the scene was 22, from battalion vehicles to brush trucks and fire engines. Every Collier County Emergency Response Agency was on scene, including Florida Forestry.

Evacuations were ordered on both sides of Shadow Drive in Wilshire Lakes but no structures were damaged.

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WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.