TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The U.S. Forest Service confirmed a wildfire burning in the Apalachicola National Forest south and east of the Tallahassee International Airport is 80 percent contained as of Monday afternoon.
On Facebook, the Forest Service dubbed the fire the Turkey Pond Wildfire. It has burned more than 150 acres. The Forest Service said due to consistent prescribed burns, fuels for the fire are in short supply.
The Forest Service said, "prescribed fire is a planned fire used to meet management objectives."
We checked the Fire Danger Index report for Monday. This fire is burning despite the entire state being shown as having low fire danger for June 24, 2024. This index is used for estimating the potential for a fire to start and require suppression action on any given day. Florida Highway Patrol says there is heavy smoke in the area of Springhill Road and Capital Circle Southwest.
First to Know Chief Meteorologist Casanova Nurse said a down a downpour moved over the area of the fire between 2:00 and 2:30 Monday afternoon, potentially helping to suppress the spread of the flames.
Due to the fire's proximity to the airport, we've contacted TLH to see if smoke is impacting operations at all. We're still waiting to hear back. When it comes to arriving flights, one plane coming from Miami is scheduled to arrive behind schedule later in the day. It's unclear what's causing the delay. All other arrivals are scheduled to be on time. Departures from Tallahassee International Airport are listed as on time for the rest of the day.
