Firefighters battle blazes across drought-stricken parts of Florida

OSTEEN, Fla. (AP) — Firefighters across central and southern Florida are battling wildfires that have temporarily shut down highways and caused some residents to be evacuated. More than 900 acres had burned near Osteen in Volusia County as of early Sunday, although the Florida Forest Service says the fire is now 90% contained. Most of central and southern Florida are currently experiencing drought conditions, with the driest conditions concentrated around Sarasota and Punta Gorda. Weather forecasters warn that conditions for spreading fires remain favorable Sunday, particularly along the middle of Florida’s Atlantic coast, where gusty winds are likely. A smaller fire Saturday in North Port briefly forced the closure of the northbound lanes of Interstate 75.