A sheriff in Florida has warned locals not to shoot at Hurricane Irma, after a spoof Facebook event created by a 22-year--old went viral. 

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office told residents that firing at the category 5 storm "won't turn it around" and would have "very dangerous side effects." 

More than 25,000 people said they would attend a 'Shoot at Hurricane Irma' event organised on Facebook by 22-year-old Ryon Edwards, with more than double that number marking themselves as 'interested' in the event. 

Mr Edwards said he was surprised by the massive reaction. 

“I never envisioned this event becoming some kind of crazy idea larger than myself. It has become something a little out of my control,” the Independent quoted him as saying. 

Mr Edward's idea sparked a series of spoof diagrams and outlandish suggestions, including one suggesting people could destroy Hurricane Irma by 'cooling the Atlantic with ice cubes'. 

More than six million people have been evacuated from Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma, with the storm leaving more than 1.5 million homes and business in the state without power. 

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