Warning: It’s wildfire season

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the wildfire along Indrio Road in north St. Lucie County a couple of weeks ago.  But 200 acres were blackened, nine homes were damaged and residents were forced to evacuate.  And then it flared up again, blackening more acreage in and near the Indrio Savannas County Preserve.  A state helicopter was flown in to drop loads of water on the burning vegetation.  The blaze should remind us that conditions on the Treasure Coast can be extremely dry this time of year, and so we must be extra careful.  Rainfall through March was a third of what it usually is.   As of April 1, Indian River County was ranked at the top of the state wildfire danger index, and St. Lucie and Martin Counties were ranked near the top.  The wildfire in St. Lucie County started on property belonging to the St. Lucie County International Airport.  Wind gusts pushed it north across Indrio Road.  The hardest hit community was Heather Way.  The fire apparently was caused by lightning hitting a tree.  But in 2010 a fire that burned 300 acres in the same area was man-made, according to investigators.  We can’t do anything about lightning, but when it’s the dry season, let’s avoid building campfires and carelessly disposing of cigarettes.  OK?  For 88/9 FM, this is Paul Janensch.