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(CNN) —
With nearly 1,100 homes already evacuated, fire crews are still battling several dangerous wildfires in three northwest Florida counties, officials said.
The largest of the fires is the Bertha Swamp Road, which expanded over the weekend and remains a threat, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned.
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"The Bertha Swamp (Road) Fire is about 9,000 acres and it's about 10% contained. So when you go out there and look at that, you know it's big and it's spreading very quickly," DeSantis said Sunday. It is the perfect day for these types of fires to spread, unfortunately.
You have very dry conditions and you have a lot of wind," he explained.
The fire, which originated in Gulf County, has spread to neighboring Bay and Calhoun counties east of Panama City, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
DeSantis expanded the state of emergency this Saturday to include all three counties.
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“Right now, the priority is, of course, to contain the fire.
But we are pooling assets and we will provide whatever people here in Northwest Florida (need)," DeSantis said Saturday.
Hector Rivera and Wandi Blanco pour water at hotspots over a neighbor's shed next to their home Saturday, after the Adkins Fire swept through the area in Panama City, Florida.
There is no estimated timeframe for when residents will be allowed to return to their homes, according to a statement from the Florida Forest Service (FFS).
Another fire even closer to Panama City, the Adkins Avenue fire in Bay County, was 35% contained as of Sunday, according to the FFS.
In addition, two houses were destroyed and 12 more were damaged.
Officials said dead trees on the ground and debris left over from 2018 Hurricane Michael, along with low humidity and strong winds, contributed to the intensity of the fire.
Much of the activity on the #BerthaSwampRoadFire is occurring near where the center/eye-wall of #HurricaneMichael traversed.
There still remains a lot of blowdown timber from Michael in these areas.
#FLwx #ChipolaComplex pic.twitter.com/kK3mtxTz2p
— NWS Tallahassee (@NWSTallahassee) March 6, 2022
The category 5 cyclone "left 1.13 million hectares of trees destroyed, uprooted," State Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried said Saturday.
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"The wood that Michael felled makes it very difficult to fight wildfires in our area," Bay County Emergency Services said in a statement.
"Fires that would normally be contained quickly grow rapidly because there is so much fuel on the ground," he added.
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Additional resources have been moved to the area to fight the fires, DeSantis said.
And he noted that some first responders sustained injuries.
“We have four National Guard air assets: two Black Hawks and two Chinooks.
They are working and making a positive impact,” DeSantis said.
Crews have dumped more than 100,000 gallons of water on the Atkins Avenue fire since Friday, officials said.
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However, the situation on the ground remains dynamic and changes are being made very quickly, Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said Sunday.
"Last night, we had to start an evacuation in the Bear Creek area because the fire up there was starting to get closer. We had to start some additional evacuations today (Sunday) due to a fire in the Tram Road area," Ford said.
And he added that teams "are still fighting it as we speak."
Ford also said the Bay County Jail "is not in immediate danger, but we have a very strong plan."
In this sense, there will be buses "on standby in case it is necessary (evacuation)".
Bay County Emergency Services reported Sunday that an additional fire broke out in the area, approximately 200 acres, and is 10% contained.
The agency said it was evacuating a nursing home in the area.
Forest fires are becoming more extreme and burning more surface.
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Bay County Emergency Services Chief Brad Monroe said the situation at the scene remains dire.
So he encouraged residents to heed evacuation orders.
"The Bertha Swamp Fire is now 9,000 acres," Monroe said Sunday.
"It's hard to believe something could be that big. If you fly around it, it's just amazing. It's hard to fathom how big and strong and fierce this fire is. And the winds have been variable for the last few days. We look forward to seeing you again." morning".
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire and a burn ban has been issued for Bay County.
Currently, there are 168 wildfires covering nearly 6,200 hectares across Florida as of Sunday, FFS said.
CNN's Tina Burnside, Claudia Dominguez and Paradise Afshar all contributed to this report.
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