Orlando Florida. – Thousands of acres have been destroyed by blazes in forested areas of Florida as the United States Drought Monitor raised the drought level for the central and southern parts of the state to severe.
The severe level (D2) indicates that there is a possibility of crop or pasture loss, water scarcity is common and water restrictions are imposed.
For central Florida, the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) website reports many impacts of very dry conditions in the region, including the drying up of water wells and areas experiencing extremely poor pastures with additional feed needed to maintain livestock conditions.
In fact, through April 2, humidity was rated at 48% and average temperatures across the region ranged from four to eight degrees above average for the time of year.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), during a drought, measures should be modified or adopted to use less water, although it is also recommended to do them before it is necessary. so that the equipment that needs it works better.
Here are the recommendations given by the EPA:
Always follow state and local restrictions on water use.
Carefully apply chemical fertilizers and pesticides: read the label. Chemicals, especially those applied dry, can stay dry during a drought and can be blown into sensitive areas. If overapplied, they can build up and then spread in concentrated amounts when the drought ends, possibly causing further damage.
Be aware of dust-related health issues. Long periods of dry weather can increase dust or other tiny particles in the air we breathe and cause health problems or make existing problems worse.
A drought can cause an intensification of the heat. Make sure you are prepared to protect yourself and others during times of heat and drought.