CLAY COUNTY, Fla. -- Action News has learned that the Division of Forestry is cancelling controlled burns due to weather conditions. The news comes as AIRNow.gov reported deteriorating air quality conditions for Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia overnight.
Airnow.gov shows that air conditions have gone from good to moderate, with the affected areas now covering nearly all of northeast Florida and southeast Georgia since midnight.
In the past week, there have been at least 10 controlled burns across four local counties. In Clay County there were three burns totaling more than 200 acres of land. Putnam County had four burns, Duval County had two, and Nassau had one. In all, 682 acres were burned in efforts to clear out brush that could pose a danger of wildfires.
But the smoke is also a respiratory irritant that can leave you with a scratchy throat, irritated eyes and nose. Here's what you can do to protect yourself from smoke in the air:
- People with respiratory problems or other at-risk groups should stay inside whenever possible.
- If exercising outdoors, go for a walk instead of a jog.
- Plan activities for times when the smoke and haze isn't as thick.
- When you're on the road and it's smoky, slow down and use your low beam headlights.
You can track the latest air quality conditions by clicking the air quality link.
