Wildfires

Urgent warnings about wildfires breaking out throughout the north and northeastern portions of Florida Saturday will shift south to the Tampa Bay region Sunday, and into Southwest Florida Monday.

A wildfire burning along Lake O in Okeechobee County is at 8,600 acres, information from the Florida Forestry Service said.

2025 was the driest year in over a decade for the Sunshine State. The lack of perception has been felt hard in Southwest Florida, where current extreme drought conditions are the worst since 2001.

An active brushfire in 2,600 acres of the Big Cypress National Preserve in Hendry County is 95 percent contained today.

A drought unlike any the Sunshine State has seen for more than 20 years has been drying out portions of the state — especially Southwest Florida

A temporary burn ban is in place for the City of Punta Gorda.

In November alone, more than 1.7 million people living in counties along or near Southwest Florida’s Gulf Coast were plunged back into a moderate drought. And drought often precedes wildfires.

Drought is the third-costliest natural disaster in the country, and goverment scientists just reported in an academic journal the natural disaster is poised to get worse

Naples Botanical Garden is conducting a prescribed fire on approximately 2 acres in the facility's preserve, beginning late Tuesday morning and lasting several hours. Fire-certified garden staff will monitor the area into the evening and the following days to ensure no hot spots go undetected.

Lee County is seeking public feedback as it updates its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), a guiding document that helps the community understand and reduce wildfire risk.