Florida just can’t catch a break from the drought this year. We’re off to the driest start to February in a quarter-century. The last time things got this bad was back in 2001. The situation’s getting serious, and people across the state are feeling the impact.
Gov. Ron DeSantis jumped in on Tuesday, signing an executive order to provide emergency help to Florida’s farmers. He made the announcement on X, pointing to last week’s winter weather and the ongoing drought as the reasons for stepping in.
Look at the numbers; about 95% of Florida sits under at least a moderate drought. The rest of the state? Still considered “abnormally dry.” And don’t expect relief soon. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these bone-dry conditions stick around through at least April.
Central and North Florida are getting hit the hardest, but South Florida isn’t off the hook. Several counties face water shortage warnings. Over in Hillsborough and the surrounding area, officials are telling residents to cut back on water use.
Outdoor watering soaks up nearly half of the water Floridians use at home, so counties are rolling out restrictions. Burn bans are popping up, too, since wildfire risk is climbing with every dry, windy day.
Flagler, Sumter, and Polk counties already have burn bans in effect. Marion County’s urging people to hold off on burning for now. Fire danger keeps rising, especially when the Keetch Byram Drought Index hits 500. That’s when things get really dangerous. More bans will probably be implemented soon, as Volusia and Lake counties are nearing this point.
And with hardly any rain on the horizon, the dry spell’s only getting worse. It’s more important than ever to watch local restrictions, avoid burning outdoors, and stay careful with anything that could spark a fire. Florida’s in for a tough stretch, and everyone’s going to need to pitch in to get through it.
