Wildfires Rage Across Florida in What Could be Epic Year

BRADENTON – A prolonged dry-spell and abnormal freezes have created an ideal set of circumstances for wildfires throughout much of Florida and with several months of dry weather still expected, the threat is exceptionally high.

Wildfires raged across the state this week including a 13,000 acre forest fire on the Sapce Coast in Brevard and Volusia Counties. Fire officials say that this year has the potential to be even worse than 1998, when an epic number of wildfires ravaged the Sunshine State.

May is typically the worst month, but with January being so unusually dry there is concern that prime conditions could come much earlier and last longer. The multiple freezes this winter makes matters worse because branches and leaves that are killed by the cold, but stay on the tree, thaw out and dry, causing a small brush fire to spread more rapidly.

Mandatory burn bans have been issued for Flagler, Lake, Osceola, Sumter and Volusia counties. A voluntary ban has also been issued in Marion County. Manatee County has not altered its burn policy at this time.