The combination of drought conditions and dry brush has caused numerous wildfires to break out across the state.
The Florida Forest Service last reported that more than 130 wildfires have consumed nearly 22,000 acres.
These conditions are creating the worst fire dangers since at least 2001, with 99% of the state considered unusually dry.
Crews were able to make progress on wildfire containment on Wednesday but warned the state has many more weeks of active fire conditions ahead.
One of the larger wildfires actively being worked by the Florida Forest Service is the “Railroad Fire,” located along the Clay-Putnam county line.
Firefighters say they have made progress establishing fire lines around the blaze, but there is still a long way to go. As of the latest report, the wildfire has burned more than 4,100 acres and is about 55% contained.
Large wildfires are also burning in Baker, Levy, Broward and Dixie counties.
Here’s the latest on the Florida wildfires:
4:30 p.m. update:
The Mile Marker 45 Fire burning in western Broward County has consumed around 6,500 acres and is sending smoke towards Southwest Florida.
Forecast models show thick smoke impacting Fort Myers and Naples over the next 24 hours.
No structures are reported to be threatened by the wildfire.
3:00 p.m. update:
Prevailing winds out of the south and east are helping disperse some of the smoke away from the peninsula. The worst air quality readings have remained in the moderate range. Winds will relax overnight, allowing smoke to settle near ignition sources. The closest active smoke alerts are in southern Georgia.
The Air Quality Index, commonly known as the AQI, has a range of 0 to 500, with lower values equating to cleaner air and higher values indicating unhealthy conditions.
These numbers correspond to six color-coded categories, which range from green in areas with the least concern to maroon, where conditions are considered hazardous.
During the most recent fires, most observation sites in close proximity to a fire have remained in the yellow, or moderate, category for pollution.
2:00 p.m. update:
The U.S. Forest Service provided an update, saying the “139 Fire” burning near Wilma, outside Tallahassee, is the largest blaze across the state, with 6,499 acres burned. The fire began on March 17 and is 50% contained.
Fires burning on federal lands are not included in state statistics.