Cold fronts bring fire weather watches

The season's crisp cold weather provides a break from the heat, but increases the fire danger due to the low humidity.

According to the National Weather Service, the cooler and drier high pressure that built in the area Monday will allow for several hours of critical humidity levels this afternoon.

Alerts are issued any time the relative humidity falls below 35 percent, NWS forecaster Tom Dougherty said Monday. It's not too uncommon; it happens quite frequently especially after a cold front passes and then dry cold air comes in. The drying and the coolness go hand-in-hand.

A bit of a north (5-8 mph) wind will add to the concern, he said.

It's not a good idea to start fires or burn leaves or anything like that, that could get away from you and once it does it is dry enough and the conditions are ripe where a small fire could spread into a large fire, Dougherty said.

Stimulus dollars reducing wildfire danger in Highlands

Portions of Highlands County are safer from wildfire thanks to federal stimulus dollars that funded efforts to reduce the wildfire danger, according to Melissa Yunas, wildfire mitigation specialist with the Florida Division of Forestry, Okeechobee District.

The Florida Division of Forestry has received more than $11,000 of the federal stimulus funding to hire contractors to mow firebreaks in Highlands County.

"The first project was to establish fire breaks in the Sebring Hills community in June 2009, Yunas said. "Wildfire history in the Sebring Hill's parcel was extreme due to human causes (ATVs, shotgun practice and campfires)."

The entire community signed a petition requesting assistance to protect their community, she said.

The second project was completed this month. It developed fire breaks in the Sun 'n Lakes community. Mechanical fire breaks were established to help firefighters slow down the wildfire and safely protect homes.

Both structural and wild-land firefighters may safely defend the residential area by using the fire breaks as roads, Yunas said.

In March 2009, Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry was awarded $900,000 under the federal stimulus plan to conduct wildfire prevention efforts.

The funding, which is being provided by the U.S. Forest Service, will enable Florida Division of Forestry to do prescribed burning to minimize the impact of wildfires, conduct other hazardous fuel reduction activities, and provide community information and education to Florida residents living near high wildfire risk areas.

Residents living in or near brush or wooded areas should make their homes as safe as possible from the threat of wildfires.

Homes and sheds should be surrounded by a buffer zone extending at least 30 feet. This area should be free of highly flammable vegetation and well maintained. Leaves, pine needles and twigs should be removed from roofs and gutters. Flammable materials (wood, vehicles and propane tanks) should not be stored next to the house.

Cold front coming New Year's Day

After a low around 38 degrees Tuesday morning, temperatures will warm up until another cold front arrives for the start of 2010.

"A cold front should be going by on New Year's Day and then the weekend will be cold," Dougherty noted.

Mostly sunny skies with a high of 69 degrees is forecasted for New Year's Day

The forecasted high for Saturday and Sunday is only 58 degrees with partly cloudy conditions on Saturday and mostly sunny on Sunday.

Saturday night's low will drop to around 33 degrees, according to forecasts.

The average high and low temperatures for this time of the year are 73 degrees and 49 degrees, respectively.