FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – Twenty-five years ago in Florida, vegetation grown by above-average rainfall would dry in a drought and serve as kindling for extreme wildland fires across the state that brought over $600 million in losses and threatened the lives of tens of thousands.
The 1998 Florida wildland fire outbreak — also called the “Florida firestorm” — spanned April to July, burning almost 500,000 acres and prompting then-Gov. Lawton Chiles to declare a state of emergency.
People in heavily-populated areas reported health impacts from the fires ranging from burns and heat-related illnesses to respiratory issues, mental health struggles and even car crashes, according to Florida BRACE.
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The weather setup involved a strong El Niño that caused mild temperatures and above-average rainfall during the winter of 1997-98, fostering underbrush growth throughout Florida, explained in Florida BRACE’s touchstone event summary. From late April to early July, high pressure remained over the state and caused a drought from May to June, the report said.
The vegetation dried out during a record-hot summer and burned from April into July, helped along by lightning and arson.
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The fires forced more than 120,000 Floridians to leave their homes, including the entire population of Flagler County ordered to evacuate July 4.
A reported 10,000 firefighters responded to fires or emergencies in all 67 Florida counties, with the Florida Forest Service noting the largest concentration of fires in North and Central Florida.
Forty other states sent support to help, according to Florida BRACE.
The magnitude of the 1998 Florida firestorm forced the state to reconsider how it handles fire management.
The modern Florida Forest Service provides a plethora of programs and services dedicated to reducing the threat of wildland fire.
Aside from operations in the field such as prescribed burns, the state’s online resources include refreshers on outdoor burning laws, wildland fire areas of concern and up-to-date maps of current fire management activity.
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