The Florida Forest Service is investigating two fires in wooded areas of South Walton County, according to the South Walton Fire District.
Although it's been wet lately, the weather itself created conditions ripe for wildfires, said Bruce Smith, Florida Forest Service Area Supervisor of Walton County.
" There's water on the ground - but there's dry fuel above that that burns," Smith said. "With the humidity and winds it was a mix for disaster."
Crews responded to a 10- to 15-acre fire near Mussett Bayou Road in Santa Rosa Beach about 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
A unified attack by South Walton firefighters and forest service crews kept the fire from a more heavily populated area or U.S. Highway 98, Smith said.
"We can't do it without those guys and they can't do it without us," Smith said.
Crews stayed in the area until about 10 p.m.
"We got a bite to eat, went home, got a shower, and at about 3:30, 3:45 in the morning, the phone calls started," Smith said.
Just after 3 a.m. Friday, a second fire was reported near Nuit Road in Santa Rosa Beach, the Fire District said. The “fast-moving” fire threatened several structures and damaged a vacant home, according to the Fire District. About 10 acres were burned.
Some residents in the area were evacuated, Smith said.
Firefighters from Destin, Freeport, Walton County Fire Rescue and the Forest Service and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office worked to extinguishing the blazes.
Dry conditions with low humidity and high winds will continue through the weekend. Residents are asked to refrain from open burning.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Delgado at 850-315-4445 or ldelgado@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenDnwfdn.