Volusia County News

Officials hopeful for more rain but lightning raises fire concerns

Torrential rain poured in parts of Volusia and Flagler counties on Friday evening, but firefighters say only repeated rainfall this weekend across the entire area will bring an end to the brush fires that continue to spring up.

At least 11 new fires were reported Friday, the result of thunderstorms and lightning that crossed the area Thursday. More lightning from the storm Friday evening left Troy Harper, Flagler County's emergency management director, shaking his head.

"Rain is good, but it brings lightning," Harper said, minutes after watching nature's light show dance across the sky in southern Flagler.

Rainfall varied widely Friday evening, with more than 2 inches of rain falling in parts of Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach, causing localized street flooding.

In New Smyrna Beach, winds tossed billboards onto New Smyrna Speedway, and hail was reported nearby. Some homes on County Road 415 south of State Road 44 briefly lost power in the storm.

However, less than a half-inch of rain is believed to have fallen on Flagler's huge Espanola fire and little or none fell in parts of West Volusia.

But with rain forecast again today and Sunday, officials remain hopeful, even while worrying about lightning.

"It looks like we're trying to get into that typical summer rain pattern," said Duane Weis, a fire behavior specialist with the Division of Forestry. "It's certainly a good start, but if we don't get any rain for two days we could be right back here."

The National Weather Service estimated about 125 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in Flagler County on Thursday. At least eight are suspected of starting fires that cropped up over the next 24 hours.

Drought in the area is so severe, Harper said, it will take extended rain to soak the ground enough to prevent lightning from sparking new fires.

However, the overall situation is gradually improving. The number of active fires continues to decline and the number of personnel fighting fires in Flagler County dropped by about 40 this week, to about 210.

Increased humidity helps control fire behavior and gives firefighters an opportunity to get the upper hand, even while daytime heat helps evaporate spare moisture. The temperature at Daytona Beach International Airport was 91.9 degrees Friday afternoon, with a heat index of 101.

Five of the new fires in Flagler were doused overnight Thursday. Four others appeared Friday. The biggest of the new blazes, the 15-acre Opossum Lane fire west of County Road 13, gave officials the "most trouble," said county spokesman Carl Laundrie. It had not been contained late Friday.

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COUNTY JAIL DOCKET (The subsequent to people were requisitioned in to the Volusia County Branch Jail on crime charges nonetheless to be proven in court.): Nichol Kristine Pedersen, 26, Port Orange, splendid theft, disaster to appear; Rashae Celeste Bradshaw, 24, Daytona Beach, aggravated attack (2); Shari Lynn Crapanzano, 45, Daytona Beach, trafficking in a tranquil substance, sale of a tranquil piece (2); Zavrina D. Jones, 25, Daytona Beach, aggravated attack with a firearm; Takendra M. Dawkins, 19, Daytona Beach, receive of cocaine; Zandra Dawn Jones, 29, Daytona Beach, aggravated attack with a firearm; Katherine Irene Petrie, 22, Lees Summit, Mo., facing detain with violence; Patricia E. Gebert, 23, DeLand, receive of a tranquil substance; Quentin Dushane Martin, 24, Murfreesboro, Tenn., traffic in stolen property; Brandon W. Homan, 18, DeLand, thievery of an at leisure structure/conveyance, splendid theft of more than $300 but beneath $5,000; Raphael Arroela Meza Jr., 24, DeLeon Springs, breach of residents control; Joshua James Heaton, 24, Deltona, breach of drug court; Dalton John Husfeld, 18, DeLand, receive of a tranquil substance; Malek Naji Zaza, 26, Ormond Beach, receive of pot over 20 grams; Roderick Dexter Eddy, 53, Daytona Beach, thievery of an at leisure conveyance; Anthony Chris Duque, 19, Deltona, unlawful use of a credit card more than two times, receive of a tranquil substance; Anthony E. Martinez, 35, Deltona, breach of residents manage (5); Gregory Lamar Goreham, 32, Daytona Beach, disaster to appear; William J. Oleksiw, 57, Deltona, splendid theft of more than $300 but beneath $5,000 (2), traffic in stolen skill (2); James Keith Ritchie Jr., 23, Daytona Beach, disaster to appear; Marvin Rafael Diaz, 30, DeLand, receive of cocaine; John Edward Parrillo, 41, Ormond Beach, receive of a tranquil substance; John Henry Van Jr., 50, Daytona Beach, receive of cocaine; Christopher John Stewart, 35, Deltona, receive of cocaine; Matthew Michael Huss, 25, DeLand, receive of a tranquil substance; Doloris June Kobelski, 47, DeLand, bootlegging prohibited in to a internment facility; Krystal Unique Lovette, 21, Daytona Beach, aggravated battery; Tanya Latrice Galvin, 32, Bunnell, uttering a imitate instrument; Jennifer Leigh Cornelius, 30, Holly Hill, splendid theft; Paula R. Barreto, 45, Port Orange, unlawful receive of keep track cocaine; Jennifer Lynn Hamersly, 28, Ormond Beach, questionnaire to execute prostitution; Roxanne Lee Hatcher, 26, Daytona Beach, questionnaire to execute prostitution; David A. Dulaney Jr., 26, Deltona, receive of a tranquil substance; Robert Lee Walker II, 33, Daytona Beach, receive of thievery tools; James Ambrose O’Brien, 39, Deltona, battery on a law coercion officer, corruption by hazard on a open servant, facing an executive with violence; Pedro Gabriel Vazquez, 25, DeLand, receive of a tranquil substance; William Joseph Wolfe, 28, New Smyrna Beach, made at home battery on a profound person; Rodney Walter Smith, 18, New Smyrna Beach, receive of pot over 20 grams; Lisa Marie Hanson, 40, Edgewater, crook effect of more than $1,000; Tara Lynn Yahraus, 23, New Smyrna Beach, thievery of an at leisure dwelling; Cheryl Leann Collins, 22, Apopka, leading to burglary; Joshua Alexander Quintana, 24, Orange City, armed thievery of a dwelling, fake imprisonment, aggravated attack with a lethal weapon; John Charles Dungey, 26, Edgewater, battery by strangulation; Bryan Douglas Howell, 39, Jacksonville, receive of cocaine; Samuel Charles Broxton, 70, Daytona Beach, passionate battery whilst in patrimonial custody, licentious and lascivious molestation; Robert Thomas Vann, 26, South Daytona, splendid theft of a engine vehicle; Ricky Faran O’Neal, 24, New Smyrna Beach, aggravated battery on a person over the age of 65; Terry Lee Sloss, 48, Daytona Beach, passionate battery; Aaron Michael Kidd, 31, Orlando, breach of trial (2); Ronald Eugene Lewis, 39, Daytona Beach, disaster to show up (3); Paul Anthony Welch, 33, Oak Hill, receive of a tranquil substance; Patrick McGurren, 26, Ormond Beach, splendid theft; Gerry Puerto, 28, Holly Hill, burglary, receive of a tranquil substance, traffic in stolen property, splendid theft; Anthony Marvin Bruten, 31, DeLand, breach of trial (2); Jay Michael Degges, 44, Ormond Beach, traffic in stolen property; Edward James O’Neill Jr., 18, Sanford, thievery to a business, receive of thievery tools; Dustin Lee Lumb, 27, Altamonte Springs, Burglary to a business; Rufus Neessmith, 35, Ormond Beach, sale of heroin (3).

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