Florida is a fire-adapted landscape. That means fire is a natural and beneficial part of the ecosystem with many plants and animals evolved to rely on fire. It is not uncommon for natural areas managers to use controlled, planned wildland fire (known as a “prescribed burn”). Prescribed burns help manage habitat for wildlife species, reduce pests, optimize plant growth, and minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfires. A wildfire is an unplanned wildland fire; it may have been ignited by lightning or human-caused. Wildfires often go unnoticed until they start to grow and may spread quickly.
Drought leads to wildfires.
Florida’s very flammable landscape is in a losing battle during extreme drought. This NOAA National Integrated Drought Information System drought map shows 99% of Florida in drought, with 75% in extreme or exceptional drought. This leads to an abundance of dried vegetation which becomes fuel for wildfires.
Dry, hot, and windy conditions can turn a tiny spark into a large wildfire very quickly. The National Weather Service issues Fire Weather Watch/Red Flag Warnings, and the Florida Forest Service will initiate a Red Flag Fire Alert when weather conditions and knowledge of local and state fire conditions indicate a strong potential for hazardous wildland fire conditions. Just one cigarette butt or parking your car in dry grass can start a wildfire during dry conditions.
Escaped burning debris is one of the leading causes of wildfires in Florida. Be aware of warnings, alerts, and bans before conducting any outdoor burning. The FFS County-Enacted Burn Ban Map reflects the burn bans as reported to the Florida Forest Service. Local burn bans are enacted by county governments. State burn bans are enacted by state government and cover larger areas; they will also be posted on the burn ban map.
Where there’s smoke…
If you see or smell smoke, you can check the Florida Forest Service’s Active Wildfire Points interactive map. This map shows the reported and active wildfires that the Florida Forest Service is 
responding to in Florida, including the size in acres and percent containment of each.
A fire is considered “contained” when it is completely encircled by control lines. This prevents the fire from expanding, even though the fire is still burning within the control lines. Under normal conditions, these control lines are expected to prevent the fire from spreading. Containment does NOT mean the fire is no longer burning nor that it is safe to return to the area.
The Florida Forest Service is the state agency responsible for monitoring wildland fire and providing Current Wildfire Information. You can check the Florida Forest Service’s Active Burn Authorization Dashboard to see if the fire might instead be an permitted prescribed or pile burn. If you suspect a wildfire and see open flames, call 911 immediately or contact a local Florida Forest Service Field Office.
There are currently smoky conditions impacting the state of Florida due to the high number of wildfires in northern Florida and southern Georgia. Be aware that just because you smell smoke does not necessarily mean there is a wildfire near you. You can monitor air quality from wildfire smoke using the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map.
Stay informed, stay safe.
Alert Florida is a statewide emergency notification initiative sponsored by the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Go the Alert Florida website to sign up for emergency alerts, based on your county and/or city. If there is an active wildfire nearby, you can monitor updates with the Watch Duty website or app. Watch Duty is a nonprofit that gathers information on active wildfires from official sources to share with the public. Many people also stay informed by following the Facebook pages of the Florida Forest Service, and your City and/or County.
Are you at risk?
If recent fires have left you wondering if your community is at risk, you can look up your neighborhood on the Southern Risk Assessment Portal. As a homeowner, you can be proactive by creating defensible space around your home to increase your safety and your home’s likelihood of survival during a catastrophic wildfire event. Consider vegetation, building materials, and objects next to your house. Firewise.org provides guidelines to consider when building, planning, and modifying your home, yard, and property with fire protection in mind.
This blog was reviewed by: Ludie Bond, Ph.D., Wildfire Mitigation Specialist/Public Information Officer, Florida Forest Service, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
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