By: Associated Press

EASTPOINT, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s agriculture commissioner says a controlled burn by state contractors sparked a wildfire that destroyed 36 homes and burned more than 800 acres and officials have suspended the practice statewide.

Adam Putnam made the announcement Wednesday morning after an investigation by the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement.

The fire broke out late Sunday in the coastal community of Eastpoint near the historic town of Apalachicola in Florida’s Panhandle.

Putnam says his “heart goes out to those affected by this devastating wildfire.”

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement that a private company was contracted to burn 480 acres on June 18. The agency said 580 acres of private land separated the controlled burn from the Eastpoint neighborhood.

Controlled burns are used as a forest management tool.

(WCTV)