Climate-related fires caused massive damage throughout the United States in 2023, and perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Florida wasn’t spared. While that state may be more associated with humidity and rain-producing events like hurricanes and tropical storms, Florida experienced more than 2,650 wildfires during the year. Blazes scorched nearly 82,600 acres through mid-June and surpassed 101,000 acres by the end of the year. Drought conditions throughout much of the state increased the risk of wildfires.
The most notable wildfire event, the Sandy fire, began on May 1 and lasted for over two weeks. The fire began in Collier County following a lightning strike in the Big Cypress National Preserve. It ultimately burned through 19,814 acres, forcing multiple highway closures. A four-day wildfire in Broward County set 13,500 acres ablaze in March, while another Collier County fire, this one in April, burned 9,749 acres.
Floridians can find the latest fire warnings and indexes through various online sources, including floridadisaster.org and the Florida Forest Service.
