March 7 (UPI) -- Wildfires burning in Florida's panhandle continued to grow Monday, officials said, fanned by strong winds and fed by debris left over from Hurricane Michael.
The biggest of the fires, dubbed the Bertha Swamp Road Fire, has burned 12,000 acres near Mexico Beach, located along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline about 100 miles southwest of Tallahassee, the Florida Forest Service said in an update.
That fire is only 10% contained and is quickly burning through thick, dry and dead trees and vegetation left in the wake of Hurricane Michael three years ago, officials said.
Strong winds during the weekend pushed the Bertha Swamp Road Fire from its origin in Gulf County into Calhoun County and then Bay County by Saturday, with more strong winds expected Monday. Its advance, however, could be mitigated by increased humidity and cloud cover over the Gulf Coast.
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Heavy bulldozers have been deployed to create wider fire lines and remove debris, while mandatory evacuations remained in place for residents in and around the Bear Creek, Fla., area.
Meanwhile, the 840-acre Adkins Avenue Fire burning on the outskirts of Panama City, Fla., has also grown due to the availability of hurricane debris and is 40% contained, the forest service said. Bulldozers were also deployed to that fire.
The nearby 250-acre Star Avenue Fire on Saturday forced the evacuation of the Clifford Chester Sims Veterans Administration Nursing Home. Residents were transported to either a temporary shelter or nearby hospital depending on needs, Bay County, Fla., emergency officials said.
That fire was 45% contained on Monday, officials said.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Saturday that a state of emergency declared in response to the fires had been expanded to include Calhoun and Gulf counties.
Overall, 171 wildfires are currently burning more than 15,000 acres throughout the state.
