Florida Wildfires Burn Across State as Extreme Drought Reaches 25-Year High

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — At least two dozen active wildfires are burning across Florida as the state endures its worst drought conditions in 25 years, with intense early-summer heat and months of parched vegetation creating fire risks that have persisted well beyond what is typically the end of peak wildfire season. A state of emergency has been declared, and the Florida Forest Service is battling blazes from the Panhandle to South Florida.

Nocatee, a master-planned community of roughly 25,000 residents in St. Johns County, is located about 20 miles southeast of Jacksonville along the Florida coast.

Among the most significant fires is one on the edge of the Everglades near Coral Springs and Tamarac in Broward County, which had burned 4,755 acres by Tuesday morning with zero percent containment, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Six of the active fires are in South Florida alone. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reports that more than 1,900 wildfires have already been recorded across the state in 2026, burning over 100,000 acres — a 75 percent increase compared to the same period in prior years.

The Sun Sentinel has published an interactive wildfire tracking map that provides real-time data on active fires across Florida, including the exact location, acreage burned, and containment level of each blaze. The tracker also incorporates live National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite data showing where wildfire smoke is drifting and how dense the smoke coverage is over local areas.

The drought, which has left 100 percent of Florida in drought conditions with 98 percent of the state in worse than moderate drought, is the most severe since 2001. The Florida Forest Service has urged residents to follow burn bans, avoid outdoor activities that could spark fires, and prepare emergency plans. “Florida is experiencing a severe drought, increasing the risk of wildfires throughout the state,” the agency said in a recent advisory, directing residents to BeWildfireReadyFL.com for preparation guidance.

The extended fire season comes as Florida lawmakers have taken steps to strengthen emergency preparedness. On June 30, Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 7040, creating the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund within the Executive Office of the Governor to streamline disaster response funding. The 2026 legislative session also included permanent sales tax exemptions on disaster preparedness supplies under HB 7031, ensuring Floridians can purchase hurricane and emergency supplies tax-free year-round.

Smoke from the fires has created hazy conditions and air quality concerns across multiple regions. NOAA satellite imagery shows smoke plumes drifting across the central and southern portions of the state. As Florida enters what is historically the most active period of the Atlantic hurricane season, the combination of drought-stressed landscapes and the potential for tropical rainfall creates a complex and dangerous dynamic for emergency managers.

Source: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2026/06/30/florida-wildfire-map-active-fires-smoke-plumes/

Interactive fire tracker: https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2026/06/30/florida-wildfire-map-active-fires-smoke-plumes/