Florida Wildfire Damage Up Significantly Over Last Year

TALLAHASSEE, FL — As Florida remains under a wildfire-related state of emergency, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is reporting a significant uptick in acres burned over last year's Jan. 1 through April figures. With nearly 80,000 acres of land within the state's fire jurisdiction burned so far in 2017, Commissioner Adam Putnam announced Wednesday the current number represents more than a fourfold spike over damage reported during the first few months of 2016.

According to the Florida Forest Service, a total of 103 wildfires under state jurisdiction were actively burning at 7:30 a.m. April 19. Of that number, 28 fires were affecting swaths of land of more than 100 acres. Three wildfires, covering a total of 45,954 acres, also remained active on federal lands, the state reported.

“There are over 124,000 acres under active fire as of today, and we’re asking for the public’s help," Putnam said during a Wednesday media conference on the wildfire crisis. "If you’re riding down the road and see a fire starting, call 9-1-1. If you have information or tips relating to arson, please report it to the arson hotline at 1-800-342-5869.”

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Active wildfires, large and small, were reported in most parts of the state Wednesday, including the Tampa Bay area, South Florida and the Panhandle.

As wildfire reports climbed last week, Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency. Scott’s declaration was made as more than 100 fires burned across the state on April 11, covering some 20,000 acres. On April 19, the state reported the 103 active wildfires under its purview spanned 21,965 acres.

Several high-profile fires have broken out across the Tampa Bay area over the past few weeks. A brushfire along Interstate 275 in the Gandy Boulevard area closed roads for hours, snarling traffic in Pinellas County. More than 1,100 acres of land have burned in Hernando County over the past week or so while Pasco County firefighters also had their share of blazes to contend with.

As wildfires remain very much a concern across the state, more counties had taken action by Wednesday to put outdoor burn bans in place. Counties with active burn bans, according to the Florida Forest Service, are:

• Nassau
• Hernando
• Pasco
• Polk
• Citrus
• Levy
• Lake
• Orange
• Seminole
• Osceola
• Brevard
• Okeechobee
• Glades
• Hendry
• Highlands

To see the locations of active wildfires reported to the state as of 8 a.m. April 19, check out the graphic below:

For more information on wildfires, county burn bans and fire dangers, visit the state’s website.

Photo and graphic courtesy of the Florida Forest Service