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Warmer Weather Could Bring Even More Wildfire Risk

chart showing inches of rainfall to date
Florida Forest Service

Florida officials are urging residents to take precautions and comply with burn bans as forecasts predict even drier conditions going into the spring and summer.

More than 171,000 acres have burned in wildfires this year and experts say about 125 fires remain active. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam says the recent rain storms many counties have seen lately aren’t enough to reverse the severe drought the state is facing. And experts say drier and warmer weather is expected, which will likely lead to an increase in wildfire risk. Putnam is urging families to take steps to give their homes the best chance of surviving a wildfire. Some of those steps include removing dead vegetation or debris that might be growing under your deck or around your home, and keeping mulch and pine needles away from homes and fences.

Follow @Regan_McCarthy

Regan McCarthy is the Assistant News Director for WFSU Public Media. Before coming to Tallahassee, Regan graduated with honors from Indiana University’s Ernie Pyle School of Journalism. She worked for several years for NPR member station WFIU in Bloomington, Ind., where she covered local and state government and produced feature and community stories.

Phone: (850) 645-6090 | rmccarthy@fsu.edu

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories here.