Lehigh Acres has already had two and a half times more wildfires this year than last. In a typical year, Florida will have nearly 5,000 wildfires, but with our drought forecast to continue and worsen this spring, we are expecting an overly active brushfire season.
Wildfire season is picking up, typical this time of year. You can thank winter’s dry conditions and spring’s rising temperatures for our annual brushfire season. But especially dry conditions from the winter will linger through May, and we can expect an excessive amount of wildfires this spring, similar to last year.
Florida Forest Service Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Victor Hill explains, “When you look at the numbers last year in Lee County compared to this year, we’ve already had 26 fires to date in Lee County compared to 10 last year.”
And those 26 were either intentionally or accidentally set by Humans. As a matter of fact, 75 percent of wildfires in southwest Florida are human-related. Lightning accounts for the other 25 percent.
Regardless of the cause, you can take preventative measures against wildfires nearing your home by clearing yard debris, like branches and palm frowns. Removing potential fuel can limit a fire’s growth.