Florida wildfire: Hope for relief from light, steady rain

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) — Fire officials are hoping that a light, steady rain in the Florida Panhandle will help ease three wildfires that have threatened homes and caused hundreds of residents to evacuate. The rain on Wednesday marked a break from five days of dry, windy conditions that had fueled three wildfires in and around Bay County, Florida. The coastal area in 2018 was devastated by Category Five Hurricane Michael, which left behind 72 million tons of destroyed trees that have provided fuel for the blazes. With the rain, firefighters sa they’re hoping to gain access to formerly dangerous areas and put containment lines around the wildfires.