LITHIA, Fla. –Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson joined the Florida Forest Service and local emergency responders for a multi-agency aviation exercise in preparation for the upcoming wildfire season. The exercise provided an opportunity for state and local departments to practice interagency communications, coordinate multiple air resources, and practice operating equipment for wildfire suppression before a wildfire begins.
“Florida’s natural spaces are some of our greatest treasures, but they also come with the responsibility to protect them – and the lives and property of our residents – from the threat of wildfires,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “I’m proud to say that the Florida Forest Service and our local emergency responders are the best in the nation. Their commitment to excellence, innovation, and training – just like the exercise we held today – is a big reason why.”
Florida Forest Service helicopter performs a bucket drop during an aviation exercise in Lithia, Florida.
Approximately 80 personnel across various agencies participated in today’s exercise, using resources and equipment like helicopters, drones, fixed-wing aircraft, bulldozers, and trucks. Participating agencies include the Florida Forest Service, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Tampa Police Department, Florida Park Service, Hillsborough County Park Service, National Weather Service, Seminole County Sheriff's Office, and Flagler County Fire Rescue.
Florida Forest Service Equipment
Over the last few years, Commissioner Simpson has secured over $93 million to purchase state-owned firefighting equipment – replacing Vietnam-era helicopters that compromised the state fleet. By May 2025, the Florida Forest Service will have retired all its military surplus aircraft, and the entire fleet will be state-owned. The funding secured by Commissioner Simpson also allowed the Florida Forest Service to purchase additional critical heavy equipment, like tractor-plows, to fight and prevent fires.
The Florida Forest Service employs approximately 30 qualified USAS pilots in its fleet. There are fixed-wing aircraft located in all 15 Florida Forest Service Districts, with 5 helicopter bases located throughout the state. The helicopters are outfitted with Bambi Buckets, used to collect and carry water to nearby wildfires, which range from 180 to 320 gallons. Additionally, the Florida Forest Service utilizes unmanned aircraft with thermal and prescribed fire capabilities and unmanned aerial systems command trailers, which allow for monitoring, recharging, and housing the drone assets.
Prescribed Fire in Florida
Florida is the nation’s leader in prescribed fire application. During the last fiscal year (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024), the Florida Forest Service set a new agency record with 277,818 total acres treated on State Forests. From the time Commissioner Simpson took office as Commissioner of Agriculture to November 2024, the Florida Forest Service treated 406,017 acres on State Forests with prescribed fire.
Nearly half of Florida is made up of forests, the state’s top agricultural commodity. Managing these forests is essential to powering Florida’s economy, sustaining the ecosystem, and supporting the state’s infrastructure. Florida’s landscape is a fire-adapted ecosystem, depending on recurring fire to renew the forest and habitats that support native plants and animals. Prescribed fire allows land managers across the state to choose the conditions and areas that need to be cleared. The busy season for prescribed fires is typically between December and March, which feature cool days and more predictable winds.
To learn more, or to view prescribed fires planned in your community today, visit: WhyPrescribedFire.org.
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The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests, provides management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests, while protecting homes, forestland, and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres. Learn more at FloridaForestService.com.
For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.