ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — See a bit of a haze in the sky this evening? It's all smoke from a fire burning far north of Tampa Bay -- and you might even smell it.
Pasco County Fire Rescue tweeted the Florida Forest Service is conducting a controlled burn on several thousand acres of land, and breezy north winds are blowing smoke in Levy County toward the Tampa Bay area.
It's believed the burn is coming from Goethe State Forest, according to an interactive map from the Forest Service.
People can expect hazy skies and a bit of an odor for the next several hours, and those who have respiratory issues are advised to keep their windows closed.
Although the burn seemingly is under control up north, there was a red flag warning in effect for Hillsborough and Polk counties until 7 p.m. The National Weather Service warned gusty winds and low humidity across the area could cause fires to burn out of control.
What other people are reading right now:
- Tampa Bay sees freeze warning Tuesday night through Wednesday morning
- Mother accused of killing her three children in Arizona
- Police warn people to leave convicted sexual predator named 'Pirate' alone
- Florida water parks closing ahead of cold weather
- Texas teen won't be able to walk at graduation unless he cuts his dreadlocks
- Gasparilla Guide: Everything you need to know about the 2020 pirate festival
- Attention viewers: WTSP is undergoing planned work on our tower
