Florida Wildfires Top 100,000 Acres as Drought Persists Into Rainy Season

[NOCATEE, Florida] -- Wildfires have burned more than 100,000 acres across Florida so far in 2026, making it one of the most destructive fire seasons in recent state history. Even as the traditional rainy season arrived in June, stubborn drought conditions have refused to relent, with 88% of the state still experiencing some form of drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Nocatee, a master-planned community approximately 20 miles southeast of Jacksonville in St. Johns County, has a population of approximately 25,000 and is located near PGA TOUR headquarters.

By late March, more than 70% of Florida was classified as being in extreme drought or worse. The absence of a landfalling tropical cyclone during the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season contributed to one of the worst droughts in decades, drying out vegetation and creating abundant wildfire fuel.

The Quarry 2 Fire in Miami-Dade County alone consumed more than 19,000 acres as of mid-June, triggering air quality alerts across South Florida. Other recent major fires include the Coptic Fire northwest of Homestead at 5,685 acres and the Rookery Fire in Volusia County at 4,700 acres, which was only 60% contained.

The Florida Senate continues to display active wildfire preparedness information on its official website, directing residents to BeWildfireReadyFL.com as severe drought and elevated fire risk persist across large portions of the state.