2026 Florida wildfires
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| 2026 Florida wildfires | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | >90,835 acres |
| Season | |
← 2025 | |
The 2026 Florida wildfires are a series of wildfires burning in the U.S. state of Florida.
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.[1][2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5] In recent years, wildfire seasons have remained active and in some cases expanded.[6]
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.[7][8]
A lack of landfalling tropical cyclones in the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season contributed to one of the worst droughts in decades across the region, with 99% of the state being in drought and 85% being in severe drought or worse by mid-February 2026.[9][10] By late March, over 70% of Florida was in extreme drought or worse.[11]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Lake | Wakulla | 4,816 | January 17 | January 22 | Human-caused in Apalachicola National Forest.[13][14] |
| ST-1 Alpha | Highlands | 3,047 | February 3 | February 5 | [15] |
| Curry Island 26 | Glades | 1,800 | February 7 | February 7 | [16] |
| Buggy | Broward | 4,173 | February 7 | February 9 | [17] |
| West Boundary Road | Hendry | 2,624 | February 10 | February 17 | [18] |
| 640 | Polk | 1,216 | February 10 | February 10 | [19] |
| First Point | Okeechobee, Glades | 8,612 | February 12 | February 13 | This fire caused dense smoke throughout the Miami Metropolitan Area. [20] |
| Levy | Osceola | 1,300 | February 15 | February 15 | [21] |
| National | Collier | 35,027 | February 22 | March 17 | See article on this wildfire - Human-caused in Big Cypress National Preserve. Caused dense smoke across the Florida Heartland Region, leading to the temporary closure of Alligator Alley. The fire led to the evacuation of the community of Jerome. |
| Radar | Polk | 2,000 | February 26 | February 27 | [23] |
| Savannah | Liberty | 1,930 | March 3 | March 27 | [24] |
| Old Bowling Green | Polk | 3,297 | March 5 | March 12 | [25] |
| Cliff Lake | Liberty | 6,499 | March 17 | [26] | |
| Mill Pond | Liberty | 1,760 | March 19 | [27] | |
| Sargent | Baker, Columbia, Clinch (GA) | 2,489 | April 2 | Burning west of Rockvil along State Road 2.[28] | |
| Newman Drive | Collier | 1,733 | April 13 | Prompting evacuations for portions of Naples.[29] | |
| Crews Road | Clay | 2,000 | April 19 | April 20 (Merged with Railroad Complex Fire) | Prompting several evacuations near Leno. Shut down Amtrak service for the nearby railroad. [30] |
| Railroad Complex | Putnam, Clay |
4,186 | April 19 | Led to evacuations for areas to the north of Bostwick. Led to the closure of West Tocoi Road.[31] Merged with the Crews Road Fire on April 20.[32] | |
| Mile Marker 45 | Broward | 9,200 | April 21 | [33] | |
| Cow Creek | Levy | 1,850 | April 21 | Caused widespread evacuations in Central Levy County near the Goethe State Forest.[34] |
