PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — River Ridge Middle School and River Ridge High School in Pasco County canceled classes on Wednesday due to smoky conditions from a nearby fire.
WATCH: Report from Erik Waxler
Both schools initially delayed classes on Wednesday by three hours due to smoky conditions, but later announced they believed it was necessary to cancel classes entirely.
"The smoke has not cleared from classroom buildings as quickly as anticipated. After evaluating the conditions on campus, we determined that canceling school is the safest decision," said the statements both schools posted to Facebook on Feb. 11.
Pasco County school district officials said a fire in the Starkey area prompted the original delay after Emergency Management warned that early-morning smoke could be significant, depending on overnight conditions.
The fire was 100% contained on Tuesday evening, according to the Florida Forest Service wildfire map.
After-school activities are also cancelled and both schools said they expect classes to resume on Feb. 12
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