Florida’s wildfire season isn’t wrapping up soon. The Florida Forest Service warns dangerous conditions will stretch into the late summer months, not just the traditional dry period. Almost 2,000 wildfires have erupted across the state since January, burning through over 120,000 acres. This year’s drought, one of the most severe Florida’s faced in a while, has fueled the flames.
Usually, fire season hits its peak in April, May, and June. But lately, that’s changing. National Fire Center forecasts point to above-average wildfire risk sticking around in July and even August. In fact, Florida’s already blown past its usual numbers. Over the past decade, the state has averaged 2,675 wildfires and burned just over 140,000 acres each year. By early summer this year, the state had nearly hit those figures already.
The broader national picture isn’t much better. Since January, over 25,000 wildfires have torched nearly 2 million acres across the U.S., outpacing the ten-year average.
South Florida has had its own troubles too. Two fires last week alone destroyed over 11,000 acres. People living in dry, fire-prone areas should expect these dangerous conditions to last well beyond what Florida usually sees.
Click here for more information from nifc.org for the official Wildland Fire Potential Outlook.
