TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service held a press conference to highlight Florida's current wildfire conditions and urge residents to be wildfire ready. Historically, Florida’s year-round wildfire season peaks in April, May, and June, and the National Interagency Fire Center has predicted a relatively normal wildfire potential for Florida this season.
“While our wildfire potential is predicted to be in the normal range this season, we must not let our guard down. It is critical for Floridians to be aware of and prepared for the devastating effects that wildfires can bring,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “Not only do our Florida Forest Service folks do a tremendous job when responding to these wildfires, they are the best in the world when it comes to preparing for wildfire season with prescribed fire.”
Since January, over 500 wildfires have burned more than 8,800 acres in Florida. Last year, a total of 2,439 wildfires burned more than 52,161 acres across the state. The Florida Forest Service is encouraging the public to “Be Wildfire Ready” – know Florida’s outdoor burning laws, prepare your yard, prepare your home, and prepare an emergency supply kit. As Florida’s population increases, so does the wildland urban interface – the zone where homes and businesses are near forests or wooded areas that are both fire-dependent and fire-prone. While Florida is the lightning capital of the U.S., the leading cause of wildfires in the state is people.
“Wildfire safety is every Floridian’s responsibility, and that’s important to remember as we head into peak wildfire season in the state,” said Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan. “We encourage everyone to ‘Be Wildfire Ready,’ which means Floridians should take extra precautions during these drier months, such as knowing Florida’s outdoor burning laws and paying attention to local drought conditions.”
There are many tools that can help reduce the chances of a catastrophic wildfire, including creating defensible space, safely burning yard waste, utilizing prescribed burning, and reporting suspicious arson activity. To learn how to protect your life, home, and community, visit BeWildfireReadyFL.com. To view current wildfire conditions and activity, visit FDACS.gov/CurrentWildfires.
Florida Wildfire Awareness Week, recognized annually during the first week of April, was established in recognition of Florida’s devastating 1998 wildfire season, when more than half a million acres burned, and 337 structures were damaged or destroyed by wildfires.
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland, and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.
For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.
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