Southern states near peak fire resource allocations as ‘Wildfire Awareness Month’ kicks off

May has historically been the start of wildfire season across the United States, but the signifier rings hollow for numerous communities in southern states facing already strained fire resources.

Friday marked the first day of Wildfire Awareness Month, when federal, state, and local agencies focus on fire prevention, preparedness, and protecting what matters, the National Interagency Fire Center said in a press release on Friday. Saturday was “Wildfire Community Preparedness Day,” when the National Fire Protection Association offered resources to prepare and become “firewise” for the months ahead.

That preparedness came early for communities in the Center’s Southern Area, which runs from Texas as far east as Virginia. Ongoing wildfires in Florida and Georgia have already put the area’s fire resources at Preparedness Level 4 out of 5, meaning national resources are heavily committed and have caused significant resource demand in inactive or low activity geographic areas, according to the Center’s scale.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said during a recent press conference that the state is experiencing its worst drought in over 20 years, meaning fire resources will continue being needed for “quite a while.”

“Our wildfires are already above a five-year average … and we’re under a temporary burn ban statewide,” Kemp said. “It’s a matter of resources … We’ve got equipment coming from Texas, Mississippi, Colorado, and Idaho.”

The fires are likely an omen of what’s to come as the nation moves towards what forecasters expect to be a very active fire season, due to ongoing fire risk in the South and historic snow drought in the West. In the near term, a stalled cold front in the southeast is forecast to bring hot, dry, and breezy conditions across central and southern Florida, raising the ongoing risk of fires in the already resource-strained state.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘Unprecedented’ snow drought sets up extreme wildfires for Western US in 2026

Fire burns down historic building at key fire research complex

A historic home at a world-leading fire research complex was consumed by a lightning fire on Tuesday and burnt to the ground.

The historic Beadel House, on the Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy complex near Tallahassee, Florida in the United States, was completely lost despite the efforts of the Tallahassee Fire Department. One firefighter was reportedly injured in the fire, according to station officials.

A severe storm caused a lightning strike on Beadel House, which contained many historical artefacts and four staff offices. Tall Timbers is a research, conservation and education organization focused on the role of fire and promoting prescribed burning.

The home was built in 1895 by Edward Beadel, a New York architect who frequented the area to hunt quail. The home’s second owner, Edward’s nephew Henry Beadel, was a naturalist who was one of the pioneers in popularizing the use of fire as a land management tool among European settlers of the U.S. Henry was also a noted nature photographer, and his photos were housed in the building.

Firefighters were able to remove a handful of artifacts before the home burned down, but the research station’s officials did not specify which artifacts were saved.

“If you would like to help Tall Timbers build back, online donations are open,” the research station posted on its website. “Your support will provide Tall Timbers with the funding to rebuild the facilities needed for our growing organization. For questions regarding giving please contact Development Director, Crystal Rice (850) 545-2162 or cdrice@talltimbers.org.”

The International Association of Wildland Fire’s 4th International Smoke Symposium, scheduled for March 23 – next week – at Tall Timbers, is in a different building and will continue as scheduled. The Association sent the following message to registered conference attendees:
 
This loss has shaken not only the Tall Timbers community, but the broader fire community as well. As we are gathering next week, we ask that you keep the Tall Timbers team in your thoughts as they navigate this difficult moment.
 
The event will continue as scheduled, and we appreciate your support, compassion, and solidarity during this time.

Florida burning, from an air attack’s perspective

As Florida fires were peaking in early April I was texting a colleague, Jon Freeman, for updates. I first got to know Jon when he was a fire effects monitor and wildland fire module member and lead. Now his work has taken him to air tactical group supervisor (ATGS), or simply Air Attack – and his recent assignments took him to south Florida. A few texts and shared photos later, it became clear that Florida is a landscape, like so many, where the stories of unwanted hazardous flames burn along side (and sometimes into) the good work of planned fire.

As Jon texted, “It was pretty amazing to watch the head of a large wildfire roll right into this recent Rx fire and basically go out. It threw spots into it that smoldered and put themselves out quickly. So cool.”

He’d preceded his observations with a few photo stories … with these photographs by Michael Gue, prescribed fire manager with the South Florida National Parks and Preserve, as seen at work with a camera and in his photos, documenting his team’s artful fire work. The photos are of the head of the Cypress Camp Trail Fire, stopped by the Perocchi prescribed burn which, as Jon said, demonstrates “the power of Rx treatments.”

The story is amazing, as are the photos … and the story and photos continue from Jon’s perspective, including a few of his images taken while doing the work of the day, with a smart phone.

Bark beetle research

And what’s a photo story without an end of shift sunset.

Oasis Helibase in February 2022, when Jon was in Big Cypress NP, doing the same sort of work as this year. Photo: Jon Freeman.

Even though we’re filled with such a range of social sharing, it’s not always the case that we can scan the breadth and depth of fire experience at once …  to see and reflect on a month of fire, planned and unplanned, and what happens where they join. Thanks for sharing to Michael and Jon.
For more on this, see the story map, “Prescribed Fire: The Best Defense Is a Good Offense,” which explains the work on the Cypress Camp Trail Fire and the benefits of the Perocchi prescribed fire.
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While fire activity moderated with mid-April precipitation, fire season does continue in Florida. In Big Cypress National Preserve, the Sandy Fire has grown to 10,000 acres since its discovery on May 1.

Florida fires closing highways

VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA — A large wildfire in Volusia County is putting up a lot of smoke, according to the Florida Highway Patrol, which cautioned drivers to exercise caution. A fire in the Tiger Bay State Forest, according to ClickOrlando.com news, is burning along Interstate 4 north of State Road 44 near DeLand. The Florida Forest Service said the fire had burned about 70 acres and was 60 percent contained.

A Florida Department of Transportation highway camera earlier today showed thick dark smoke from the fire, not far from I-4. State troopers issued a travel advisory because of the smoke for motorists in the area both for I-4 and for International Speedway Boulevard.

A 400-acre fire in Marion County, according to WCJB news, also closed roads. Florida Forest Service firefighters were dispatched to an escaped blaze near Gooski Prairie on Friday afternoon. Sheriff’s deputies said parts of County Road 316, from Northeast 175th Street to Fort McCoy, have been re-opened after a closure resulting from the fire and smoke.

Florida Forest Service officials said the fire was at 75 percent containment by 3:30 p.m. By 7 p.m., though, the winds had picked up and carried the fire from 200 acres to twice that size.

The fire started as a controlled burn ignited by a private landowner on Thursday afternoon.

WINK News reported yesterday that firefighters were working on several brush fires across southwest Florida pushed by high winds, including one in Collier County that the Florida Forest Service reported at 300 acres with about 25 percent containment. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office ordered evacuations, but they were soon lifted. The Greater Naples Fire Chief said three homes were burned and more were threatened.

ClickOrlando.com reported that temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 80s over the weekend before cooling down as a weak cold front moves closer to the region, but chances of rain are estimated at just 20 percent.

Wildfire east of Panama City, FL prompts evacuations

Map Adkins Avenue Fire, Florida March 4, 2022
Map of Adkins Avenue Fire March 4, 2022.

A fire on the east side of Panama City, Florida prompted the evacuation of about 600 homes, according to the Florida Forest Service (FFS). As of Friday evening the Adkins Avenue Fire had burned 1,400 acres in Bay County between U.S. 231 and Tram Road, west of North Star Avenue. The blaze is fueled by vegetation that was affected by Hurricane Michael in 2018.

Friday night the FFS reported that two structures have been destroyed and another 12 were damaged.

Helicopter drops water Adkins Avenue Fire
Helicopter drops water on the Adkins Avenue Fire. Photo: Bay County Emergency Services.

At least 200 personnel are committed to the fire including 12 tractor plows and multiple helicopters along with fire personnel from local and county departments.

Red Flag Warnings, March 5, 2022
Red Flag Warnings, March 5, 2022. NWS.

The area is under a Red Flag Warning until Saturday evening for 10 to 15 mph southeast winds gusting to 25 mph with relative humidity of 25 to 45 percent.

Pay raise of $2,500 requested for Florida wildland firefighters

7:46 p.m. EDT Sept 24, 2021

Florida Forest Service
Florida Forest Service photo.

Last week, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried submitted a budget request for fiscal year 2022-2023 that includes a $2,500 pay increase for 932 firefighter and firefighter support positions within the Florida Forest Service.

A vacancy announcement for Forest Ranger, position #42002179 closing today whose duties include forest fire prevention, detection, suppression and pre-suppression shows a starting salary of $29,080 annually, which works out to $13.98 an hour (based on 2,080 work hours per year). This raise would increase it to $15.18 an hour.

Nikki Fried, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Nikki Fried, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

These numbers are similar to the pay for a federal wildland firefighter starting at a GS-3 in most of the United States. Their salary is being temporarily bumped up to around $15 an hour, but there is an effort to rebuild the pay system on the federal side, possibly with a more substantial permanent increase.

Applicants for the Florida job must swear that they have been a non-user of tobacco or tobacco products for at least one year immediately preceding application. They must live within 30 miles of the headquarters, in this case Chipley Florida, throughout employment in the position. Within 6 months of appointment they are required to obtain a Class A Commercial Driver License (CDL).

Over the last three years, Florida Forest Service personnel responded to an annual average of 4,672 fires that burned 147,169 acres, according to a press release from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.