The Current Wildfire in Florida May Last Longer, Experts Predict!

Since early 2026, Florida has fought a series of wildfires. Statistically, the wildfires from January to mid-May 2026 affected fewer areas than the fires in the same period the previous year. However, experts projected that the season of wildfire in Florida may last longer, until July or even August.

Therefore, the affected areas of the 2026 Florida wildfires are likely to increase. Moreover, the longer wildfire season in this state will add challenges to the containment of the current fires. How is the condition of the wildfires in Florida as of mid-May? Keep reading to find out.

The 2026 Florida Wildfires: A Summary

Fires in Florida currently have affected over 90,800 acres of land. Moreover, several fires caused the authorities to evacuate people near the affected areas. The smoke from the fire also reduced visibility and the air quality.

From the middle of January to May, firefighters in Florida have been constantly containing wildfires. Below is a summary of major fires in this state in the last five months.

1. January

The first 2026 Florida wildfire started on January 17, 2026, in Silver Lake, Wakulla County. This hazard affected more than 4,800 acres of land. Moreover, it took about 5 days to contain this fire.

2. February

In February, at least nine major wildfires occurred in nine different locations across seven counties. According to the Florida wildfire data, the worst among them occurred in Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County.

This fire started burning on February 22 and affected an area of over 35,000 acres. Moreover, it took more than three weeks to fight the wildfire. Firefighters fully contained the fire on March 17.

3. March

The number of big wildfires in March was not as high as that in February. According to the report, four large wildfires occurred in four locations in two counties, i.e., Polk and Liberty. The biggest wildfire in Florida in March burnt an area of over 6,000 acres in Cliff Lake, Liberty. 

The Cliff Lake fire also lasted for more than a month. It started on March 17 and its containment finished on May 6. Another long-lasting fire started on March 19 in Mill Pond, Liberty. The containment of the Mill Pond fire also reached 100% on May 6.

4. April

In April, seven wildfires occurred in several Florida counties. The largest one burned approximately 9,600 acres of land. This fire started on April 21 in Mile Marker 45, Broward. Despite its large size, firefighters needed only three days to contain the fire.

Two fires that started this month are still in the containment process as of mid-May. They occur in Cow Creek (Levy County) and the Railroad Complex (Putnam and Clay counties). The containment progress of the former was approximately 75%, while the latter was 95%.

5. May

In the second week of May, two new wildfire spots occurred in Florida. The first fire burned an area of over 2,200 acres in South Canal, Lafayette. The South Canal Wildfire started on May 5. The report said that the containment progress of the South Canal Fire was 97%. 

The second fire affected a larger area. Authorities reported that the fire burned over 11,000 acres of land in Broward and Miami-Dade. This hazard started on May 10 and was fully contained on May 13.

The Causes of Florida Fires and More About the Season of Wildfire in Florida 

What causes wildfires in Florida? Several factors triggered the recent wildfires in this state. Below are the causes of the 2026 Florida Wildfires.

1. Human Activities

Human activities have started the fires in several locations in Florida. However, most of these activities are unintentional. An example of those unintentional triggers is escaped debris burning.

2. Florida Wildfire Season

Wildfires in Florida are a common occurrence during the wildfire season. In Florida, the fire season typically starts from April to June. During this season, this region experiences dry weather, low humidity, and strong winds.

These conditions can cause small embers to easily develop into large fires. Recently, the Florida Forest Service projected that the wildfire season this year will last until August. Thus, people in Florida must expect more wildfires in the following months.

3. Other Factors

Other factors also cause the wildfires in Florida to occur more frequently this year. One of them is extreme drought. Florida has experienced drought since the end of 2025.

Moreover, this region has an abundance of dry fuel due to the drying of wetlands. These dry wetlands are highly flammable and can cause deep burning that is difficult to contain. The remnants of Hurricane Helenes that littered the forest floor are also flammable.

In some conditions, lightning struck the drying wetlands and the hurricane remnants. Consequently, wildfires happen, and they become uncontrollable.

The 2026 wildfire in Florida has affected thousands of acres of land. This hazard also caused many people to evacuate. To improve the evacuation process, the government can use LB-SMS broadcasters from smsbroadcaster.com to disseminate evacuation orders and wildfire alerts.