ORLANDO, FLa. – Wildfires are always a part of life in Florida — but heading into next week, the threat is climbing.
We’re in the middle of one of the worst droughts in 25 years, with conditions now rivaling 2001 and even drawing comparisons to 1998 — one of Central Florida’s most destructive wildfire seasons.
The landscape is dry, water levels are low, and burn bans are already in place in several counties.
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Sunday’s cold front will bring a little rain, but it’s not expected to be nearly enough to meaningfully improve drought conditions. And it’s what happens after the front that raises concern.
Behind it, much drier air will move in, dropping dew points into the teens — extremely dry air more typical of the middle of winter.
At the same time, winds will turn breezy, with gusts between 20 and 25 mph, possibly higher in some areas.
That combination — dry vegetation, very low humidity, and gusty winds — is exactly what can allow fires to spark easily and spread quickly. As we move into next week, fire weather concerns are likely to increase across Central Florida.