2025 Florida wildfires

2025 Florida wildfires
Smoke in south Florida due to wildfires on March 20.
Statistics
Total fires2,531[1]
Burned area146,761 acres[1]
Season
← 2024

The 2025 Florida wildfires are a series of active wildfires currently ongoing in the U.S. state of Florida. As of July 2025, 2,531 fires have burned in Florida, with a total burned area of 146,761 acres.

Background

Florida’s wildfire season is shaped by its subtropical climate, seasonal rainfall shifts, human activity, and occasionally catastrophic weather events. The state traditionally experiences a prolonged dry season from October through May, during which wildfire risks are elevated. Central Florida and northern Florida typically sees its wildfire trends begin as early as January, with activity continuing into May or even early June—right before the onset of the rainy season and hurricane impacts.[2][3]

Lightning is a potent natural ignition source—but its role is often overshadowed by human-caused fires, particularly those that originate from escaped yard debris burning and equipment sparks. In 2023, lightning accounted for more than 35% of wildfires, but the remainder were traced to human activities.[4][5]

Florida’s ecosystems—such as pine flatwoods and scrub—evolved with recurrent fire cycles, typically burning every 3 to 7 years to maintain ecological health. These fire-adapted landscapes depend on periodic burns to sustain species like the gopher tortoise and regenerating longleaf pine stands.[6]

Major wildfire years have occurred in the past. One of the most destructive was the 1998 Florida wildfires, a series of thousands of fires sparked mostly by lightning and exacerbated by heavy vegetation growth followed by sudden drought conditions. These blazes scorched roughly 500,000 acres—including over 150 structures—before rains eventually helped contain them.[7]

In recent years, wildfire seasons have remained active and in some cases expanded. Throughout 2023, over 2,600 wildfire incidents in Florida burned more than 101,000 acres. This year was fueled by La Niña-induced dryness, precipitation shortfalls, and vegetation damage from Hurricane Ian, prompting burn bans and Red Flag Warnings in many counties.[8]

Hurricanes leave behind another major and often overlooked risk factor: downed trees and debris. These serve as abundant dry fuel. Experts warn that when combined with ongoing drought and drought-induced dryness, these remnants contribute significantly to early and intense fire outbreaks each spring.[9][10]

Meteorological synopsis

Several factors caused the fire season in Florida to become very active, including above-average temperatures, below-average rainfall, and vegetation damage from tropical cyclones. Keetch–Byram Drought Index (KBDI) levels in Lee, Collier, and Hendry counties have reached levels over 700, indicating a very high fire danger and exceptionally dry conditions.[11] Rainfall deficits reached as high as 4–8 inches (100–200 mm).[12]

List of wildfires

The following is a list of fires that have burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or caused significant structural damage or casualties.

Name County Acres Start date Containment date[a] Notes/References
Two Barrel Liberty 1,943 February 26 March 17 The fire caused $290,000 in damage.[14]
Turkey Hammock Brevard 1,171 February 28 March 22 [15]
BOX-R (19-T5) 0161 Franklin 1,200 March 3 March 19 [16]
The 344 Miami-Dade 26,719 March 12
April 4
 [17]
Johnson Miami-Dade 8,340 March 18
May 13
 [18]
East Marsh Volusia 3,377 March 31
April 7
 [19]
Juniper Swamp Liberty 4,986 April 12
May 8
 [20]
Hilliardville Wakulla 1,291 April 15
April 20
 [21]
Curry Island Glades 1,050 April 18
May 1
 [22]
Sandy Monroe 6,656 May 24
June 5
 [23]
Wood Highlands 1,272 May 25
May 31
 [24]
Ollie Roberts Road Hardee 1,350 June 10 June 12 [25]
Indian Prairie Canal (22) Glades 3,925 June 22 June 27 [26]
Henry George West (29) Hillsborough 1,200 June 24 July 1 [27]
Mosquito Monroe 8,373 July 1 July 11 [28]
13 Mile Palm Beach 13,000 July 7 July 15 [29]
Iron Miami-Dade 1,374 July 8 July 11 [30]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Containment means that fire crews have established and secured control lines around the fire's perimeter. These lines are artificial barriers, like trenches or cleared vegetation, designed to stop the fire's spread, or natural barriers like rivers. Containment reflects progress in managing the fire but does not necessarily mean the fire is starved of fuel, under control, or put out.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b "Current Wildfire Information". Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  2. ^ "Central Florida's Wildfire Season: What to Watch for". Spectrum News 13. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  3. ^ "When is Florida Fire Season?". WTSP. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  4. ^ "Hot and dry conditions to raise wildfire risk in Florida – Climate Cosmos". Climate Cosmos. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  5. ^ "What's Growing On: Wildfire season in Florida". WCJB. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  6. ^ "Fire Ecology – Local History". IFAS Florida Cooperative Extension. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  7. ^ "Wildland Fires Florida 1998" (PDF). United States Fire Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  8. ^ "Current Wildfire Information". Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  9. ^ "Fires are burning throughout U.S. Here's where there's greater risk". Washington Post. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  10. ^ "Wildfires expected to burn up to 9 million acres in US this year. Will tropics help Florida?". USA Today. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  11. ^ "Sunshine State mess: Drought strengthens, wildfires threaten, hurricane season approaches". WGCU PBS & NPR for Southwest Florida. May 1, 2025. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  12. ^ McCloud, Cheryl. "Florida drought conditions worsen and the news isn't good for May. Get latest forecast". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  13. ^ "What containment and other wildfire related terms mean". Los Angeles: KCAL-TV. September 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  14. ^ Newspapers, Treasure Coast. "Two Barrel - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  15. ^ Newspapers, Treasure Coast. "TURKEY HAMMOCK (05) - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
  16. ^ Newspapers, Treasure Coast. "BOX-R (19- T5) 0161 - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  17. ^ Newspapers, Treasure Coast. "The 344 - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  18. ^ Newspapers, Treasure Coast. "Johnson - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  19. ^ Oklahoman, The. "East Marsh - Wildfire and Smoke Map". The Oklahoman. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  20. ^ Palm, TC. "Juniper Swamp - Wildfire and Smoke Map". TC Palm. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
  21. ^ Palm, TC. "Hilliardville - Wildfire and Smoke Map". TC Palm. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  22. ^ "Curry Island - Wildfire and Smoke Map". jacksonville.com. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
  23. ^ "Sandy - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Springfield News Leader. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  24. ^ "Wood - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
  25. ^ "Ollie Roberts Road - Hardee - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Ocala StarBanner. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  26. ^ "Indian Prairie Canal (22) - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Iohud. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  27. ^ "HENRY GEORGE WEST (29) - Wildfire and Smoke Map". Iohud. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  28. ^ "Mosquito - Wildfire and Smoke Map". The Oklahoman. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  29. ^ "13 MILE FIRE - Wildfire and Smoke Map". USAToday. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  30. ^ "Iron - Wildfire and Smoke Map". USAToday. Retrieved July 16, 2025.


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