A federal wildfire prediction center in Idaho pegged the precise region and exact date for first wildland blaze in South Florida prior to last Friday’s wildfire in Collier County.
And the federal agency’s forecasters said if they were correct about that, then Collier, Hendry and surrounding counties could expect more of the same during the weeks to come.
The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise issued its warning more than a week ago as the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, which is a 0-to-800 measure of the lack of moisture in the soil where higher is drier, passed the 700 mark on its way toward a number that equates with "parched."
“Southwest Florida is a particularly concerning area given KBDIs above 700, debris left from Hurricane Ian, and the prevalence of salt-cured fuels associated with its historic surge,” the center’s forecasters wrote. “A rapid increase in risk appears probable the next few weeks. Expected fire-effective weather on Friday, March 3, may be a good test of conditions across the peninsula.”
On March 3, a wildfire in the Wilson Boulevard area of Collier County started by power lines destroyed two homes, damaged three others, and forced some residents to flee.
The fire shut down traffic in the area of Immokalee Road, Everglades Avenue and Wilson Boulevard
‘... an active season’
Firefighters from throughout Southwest Florida responded to the Collier County wildfire, which broke out just after county firefighting officials issued a burn ban due to the dry conditions.
“When we talk to the other forestry professionals who are looking at everything they tell us it's probably going to be an active season,” said Heather Mazurkiewicz, the spokeswoman for the North Collier Fire Control and Rescue District. “And when I speak in those terms, I'm not just speaking about Collier County and our fire district. I'm talking about the region in general.”
Collier County's burn ban includes all of the unincorporated areas, but exempts certain commercial burning and controlled fires under the purview of the Florida Forest Service. This ban does not affect the sale of fireworks, but does prohibit their use at this time.
More on the wildfire threat: Wildfire and the Wildland Urban Interface
In addition, outdoor grills, stoves, cookers and smokers may be used for a cookout provided the flames are under control an someone is watching the grill the whole time.
Hendry County issued a burn ban on Tuesday. It prohibits bonfires, campfires, burning of trash or yard waste and any other outdoor fire except for a cookout in a barbecue typically in an enclosed propane or charcoal grill.
Lee, Charlotte, and other counties in Southwest Florida may issue burn bans, too, soon. But Mazurkiewicz from North Collier Fire Control says people should act as if their county or city already has.
“It's going to vary from municipality to municipality. Just right now consider yourself under a burn ban,” she said. “We're gearing up for an active season.”
Worse before better
South Florida’s active wildfire season was portended last September. While Hurricane Ian was dropping feet of rain across South Florida, North Florida was gripped in drought like no other place in the country.
In Southwest Florida, La Niña conditions are expected to continue through most of the winter and bring below-average precipitation and above-average temperatures across the South.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center forecasts increasing drought for much of the Florida Peninsula through May, when the summer rainy season should start.
The agency also forecasts a 35 percent change of “much below normal temperatures” for South Florida during a mid-March cold snap.
And NOAA predicting lower-than-normal rainfall totals in Southwest Florida for months to come.
September's Hurricane Ian blew over trees, ripped plants out of the ground, and inundated underbrush. All of that has had five months to wither in the heat and become tinder.
Protecting your home from wildfire
Patrick M. Mahoney, a spokesman for the Florida Forest Service, said residents with homes tucked in the woods should prepare their properties now to have a good chance of their house surviving a wildfire should one threaten.
Mahoney said a 30-foot “defensive space” around the house free of anything that can burn is key. That includes removing wood piles stacked alongside the house, taking out hedgerows or wooden fences that can act like a wick for the flames to head straight to outside walls of the home, and cutting off low-hanging tree branches to ensure firefighting equipment like brush trucks can fit into the backyard if necessary.
And Mahoney said the basic reminders are good to hear every year: start your lawn equipment, which can spark, on your driveway to avoid starting a fire in dry grass or brush, don’t let children play with matches, and clear dead branches off the roof and clean leaves from gutters.
“Be careful with anything that causes a spark, lawnmowers, welding, and talk with your children about playing with matches,” he said. “Now would be an excellent time to clean off roofs and gutters and trim around your home.”
Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health.
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