Lack of winter rainfall puts Florida in a precarious fire situation
Florida’s thunderstorm season usually provides much-needed relief from drought and wildfire conditions, but for many the pattern doesn’t start until late May into the early summer.
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MIAMI – Firefighters across Florida are monitoring dozens of wildfires as the state contends with worsening drought conditions during what is considered to be the state’s fire season.
On Thursday, some of the larger fires were reported north of Miami, west of Gainesville and near St. Augustine, impacting air quality for local residents.
While none of the fires immediately threatened homes, they ignited in counties already experiencing drought conditions ranging from abnormally dry to severe.
Forecasters warn that conditions will likely continue to deteriorate through the spring, as the dry brush left over from the winter and previous hurricanes, acts as fuel for fires to burn.
![St. Johns County Fire Rescue responds to small brush fire in Northeast Florida in early March.]()
Image 1 of 3St. Johns County Fire Rescue responds to small brush fire in Northeast Florida in early March. (St. Johns County Fire Rescue)
![St. Johns County Fire Rescue responds to small brush fire in Northeast Florida in early March.]()
Image 2 of 3St. Johns County Fire Rescue responds to small brush fire in Northeast Florida in early March. (St. Johns County Fire Rescue)
![St. Johns County Fire Rescue responds to small brush fire in Northeast Florida in early March.]()
Image 3 of 3St. Johns County Fire Rescue responds to small brush fire in Northeast Florida in early March. (St. Johns County Fire Rescue)
"The combination of drought-, beetle- and hurricane-impacted fuels will continue to be concerns from portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley through the Southeast. Earlier in January, parts of southeastern Georgia already reported increased wildfires associated with Helene’s impacts, and this will likely carry through the spring from the Florida Big Bend to the southern Appalachians," the National Interagency Fire Center warned in a recent outlook.
Orlando faces a rainfall deficit of more than two inches since the start of the year, while Miami is nearly three inches below normal.
The period from late winter through spring is typically Florida’s dry season and coincides with heightened wildfire activity.
Florida drought status as of 3/6/2025
(FOX Weather)
Conditions this year appear to have been exacerbated by a La Niña pattern, which limits moisture accumulation during the winter months.
The occurrence of frontal boundaries with limited moisture further enhances fire weather risks by lowering relative humidity and increasing wind speeds.
The Florida Forest Service said it was tracking at least 40 active fires statewide, including the largest in Gilchrist County, west of Gainesville, which had burned nearly 400 acres.
Typical La Niña weather impacts.
(FOX Weather)
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No homes have been lost to the flames, but officials warned that more weeks of active fire conditions were likely until substantial rainfall returns – a pattern that isn’t expected to change until the annual thunderstorm season returns around early summer.
During La Niña cycles, Florida’s summer storm season typically begins in May for South Florida, with North and Central Florida following a week or two later. However, with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation pattern shifting toward a neutral phase, forecasters warn the arrival of the rainy season could be delayed.
Florida’s thunderstorm season usually lasts through mid-September, providing much-needed relief from wildfire conditions and supplying the majority of the year’s precipitation.