CENTRAL FLORIDA — Active brushfires across North and Central Florida are burning hotter, faster, and more unpredictably, raising new concerns about how these fires spread and who is at risk.
Experts say the fires are not just advancing along the ground but are also throwing embers for miles, igniting new fires far from the main flames.
Florida Forest Service wildfire mitigation specialist Dr. Ludie Bond says the behavior she’s seeing right now is extreme.
“We have seen short-range spotting, long-range spotting, trees torching, firenadoes, fire whirls,” she said.
Bond says there is a common misconception about how brushfires destroy homes.
Many people assume flames have to reach a structure directly, but that is often not the case.
Bond says most homes lost in wildfires are ignited by flying embers, which can travel significant distances ahead of the fire line.
“The fires that we have been seeing here in North Central Florida have exhibited extreme fire behavior,” she said.“That’s what we have observed from the ground and from the air.”
Those conditions are being fueled in part by ongoing dry weather.
The National Weather Service warns the region may not see relief from drought conditions until as late as July, increasing the risk of continued fire activity.
Bond emphasizes that these fires are no longer limited to rural or wooded areas.
“They are happening in people’s backyards,” she said.
As the threat continues, officials are urging residents, even those not directly next to active fires, to prepare evacuation plans and stay informed.
Several tools are available to help people track fires and get updates in real time, including the website: BeWildfireReadyFl.com.
The Florida Forest Service wildfire dashboard and the Watch Duty app are also good tools to have.
“Don’t wait until you get that alert on your phone or the knock on your door to be ready to leave,” Bond said. “Make sure you know what you’re going to do with yourself and your pets,” she said.
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