State of Emergency Declared in Florida as Wildfire Dangers Surge

Nearly 99% of the state of Florida is now under some level of drought. The exceptionally dry conditions prompted local officials to declare a state of emergency. Here is a look at the increasingly dire situation as the dry winter season continues.

Most of Florida Under Drought, Prompting State of Emergency Declaration

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency last week as the state continues to grapple with drought conditions. The Florida Forest Service (FFS) confirmed that 650 wildfires have been recorded across the peninsula since the beginning of January, marking a fast start to the season.

According to the latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, 98% of the Sunshine State is under some degree of drought. Most concerning is that 85% of the state is under the designation of a "severe drought." To put this into context, this is the largest area under this designation since March 2001.