Florida Faces Increased Drought, Increased Concern for Wildfires Statewide

The Nature Conservancy reminds homeowners to become “firewise.”

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL — February 13, 2009 — Most of Florida is now “abnormally dry” and rainfall predictions are below normal through June, a combination of conditions that has heightened concern for wildfires among state fire and natural resource officials.

“While we were able to do a record number of controlled burns last year, which are low-impact fires that burn up fuels but allow animals to survive, there is still a lot of fuel-heavy habitat statewide that is a concern given these weather conditions,” said Zach Prusak, Florida state fire manager for The Nature Conservancy.

Intense wildfires can devastate communities and wildlife as seen recently in Australia. Florida’s landscape is prone to fires and much of the state’s plants and animals are adapted to regular fire as part of the natural cycle of life. State agencies like the Florida Division of Forestry and conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy use controlled burns to reduce excess woody debris and reduce the intensity of wildfires.

Homeowners can make sure their properties are prepared for wildfires. One way they can prepare is by using Firewise principles on their property. This is a type of construction that keeps in mind fire in the landscape.

For example, the Conservancy’s Tiger Creek Preserve features a building that integrates Firewise design. Those features include:

roof, siding, soffits, eaves and gutters made of non-flammable, non-combustible materials,
all windows made of tempered glass that won't crack under heat and pressure of a nearby fire,
a 30-foot wide space around the center is kept free of dense vegetation,
and landscaping with less flammable native plants.

For more information on Firewise principles visit firewise.org or for tips on how to prepare your family for wildfires log on to nature.org/tigercreek to download a fact sheet.

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) is used by the Florida Division of Forestry to indicate the dryness of the soil and surface fuels. High values of the drought index are associated with severe wildfire outbreaks such as occurred during 1998.

The statewide KBDI (515) is about 200 points above the normal for this time of year. All forecasts for Florida through at least June of this year are below or well below normal in rainfall. The combination of the drought and the dried vegetation from numerous freezes that extended as far south as the Everglades has created conditions that are ripe for wildfires.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.