Wildfires

As disruptive as a wildfire can be, a forest fire is not only important to the ecosystem in which it burns, but is integral to slowing climate change.

The 10-day-old Sandy Wildfire in the western Everglades is raging on despite best efforts of more than 100 state, federal firefighters

A wildfire in the Big Cypress National Preserve north of U.S. 41 is now 5% contained. It has been burning for more than a week and grown to nearly 10,000 acres.

The Sandy Fire broke out Monday at 50 acres in the far eastern part of Collier County. By Sunday morning the fire had spread to 8,398 acres and containment remained at 0%.

Most forecasters have decided the disturbance developing in the Gulf of Mexico does not have the time, or the mojo, to undergo the rapid and daunting transformation into an early tropical system and ease the drought.

The National Interagency Fire Center reported the Big Cypress National Preserve reported Thursday that the fire had grown by more than 50 percent.

State Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan spoke during a news conference in Hillsborough County about what has already proven to be a busy fire season.

Rainfall totals since the beginning of the year are more than 70 percent below normal.

Polk County issued a burn ban following a wildfire that covered 1,000 acres.

Florida is coming off its fifth warmest year in 2022.

When Hurricane Michael tore through North Florida in 2018 as a Category 5 storm, it left more than 3 million acres of felled trees in its wake.

We follow up with two residents who evacuated and were relieved after returning to find their homes just as they left them.