On the same week that federal climate forecasters said the drought in the greater Fort Myers area had worsened and will not be going away soon, Lee officials issued guidelines for county residents to weather the weather until it returns to normal.
The size and scope of the wildfire that's been burning in the Big Cypress National Preserve for over a week took a small step back Friday with a reduction in fire area and a small increase in containment. Better mapping helped make those changes and placed the National Fire at 35,027 acres burned and at 67 percent contained by late Friday, according to a press briefing issued by the command structure of the wildfire. That was about 300 fewer acres and three percent more containment.