Florida Panhandle Wildfires Burn Thousands Of Acres

With nearly 1,100 homes evacuated, firefighting crews continue to battle several dangerous wildfires across three counties in the Florida Panhandle, officials said.

The most prominent blaze, the Bertha Swamp Road Fire, expanded over the weekend and was at 12,000 acres Monday, up from 9,000 Sunday, with just 10% of it contained, according to the Florida Forest Service (FFS).

"The fire has shown extreme activity for two days as steady winds pushed the fire through thick, dry, and dead trees and vegetation left behind from Hurricane Michael," the service said in an update Monday.

The fire, which originated in Gulf County, has spread into neighboring Bay and Calhoun counties just east of Panama City, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.