Florida
Florida map shows counties at risk of “critical” fire weather today
Dozens of counties across Central and South Florida were on alert for fire weather conditions on Thursday, the National Weather Service (NWS) warning that a combination of strong winds and low relative humidity could contribute to extreme fire behavior in the Sunshine State.
Why It Matters
A red flag warning is issued by the NWS to notify local fire officials of potentially hazardous weather conditions expected within the next 12 to 24 hours. Wildfires have hit California and the Carolinas so far this year.
What To Know
As of Thursday morning, red flag warnings had been issued across central and east central Florida. The map below shows where Red flag warnings and fire weather watches were in place in Florida from Thursday morning.
Counties included:
- Brevard
- Charlotte
- DeSoto
- Flagler
- Hardee
- Highlands
- Indian River
- Lake
- Lee
- Levy
- Marion
- Martin
- Okeechobee
- Orange
- Osceola
- Polk
- Putnam
- Seminole
- St. Lucie
- Sumter
- Volusia
Winds near 20 mph were expected, gusting to around 30 mph, along with relative humidity between 25 and 35 percent, according to the NWS.
“Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly,” it warned.
Meanwhile, there were fire weather watches in place across South Florida.
These included Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties.
Here, the service said drought conditions combined with low relative humidity values would lead to “increased fire weather concerns.”
Residents in affected areas were urged to avoid any outdoor burning.
The NWS issues fire weather watches up to 72 hours before the conditions are expected to occur, while a red flag warning “is issued when the conditions are expected to occur within the next 24 hours.”
What People Are Saying
The NWS red flag warnings stated: “A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now … or will shortly. A combination of strong winds … low relative humidity … and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.”
NWS Jacksonville said on X: “Despite a little rain yesterday, drought conditions will combine with low humidity and gusty winds, creating optimal conditions for rapid wildfire spread across central FL today.”
Meteorologist Brooke Silverang said on X, Wednesday: “All of Florida’s East Coast is under a Fire Weather Watch on Thursday. Fires can spread easily.”
What Happens Next
At the time of writing, the latest red flag warnings were in place until 6 p.m. The NWS said the fire weather watch for South Florida was in effect through Thursday evening.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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