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State Gains New Ally In Fight Against Wildfires: Rain

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The Associated Press

Published: May 18, 2008

PALM BAY - Weather conditions are making it a little easier for firefighters to combat wildfires burning in parts of Florida.

Fires that destroyed dozens of homes on Florida's Atlantic Coast were 70 percent contained Saturday, the same percentage as Friday.
State Division of Forestry spokesman Todd Schroeder says fires in Palm Bay and Malabar on Saturday were "pretty much a mop-up job now."

He said another fire near Cocoa Beach was still active.

Schroeder said light rain, higher levels of humidity and calmer winds in central Florida on Saturday were making it "real good weather" to fight fires in.

Heavier rain that was expected over north Florida missed the central part of the state where it might have helped firefighting efforts.
State emergency managers say wildfires were still burning or smoldering on more than 39,000 acres across the state. That's up about 2,000 acres from Friday.

Many of the fires, however, are in rural areas.

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