Experts predict ‘active’ fire season despite recent rains

LAKELAND, Fla. - Despite showers that popped up across the Bay Area on Friday, wildfire season is here. Even though the rain can help keep fire danger down, it's not for long.

"Unless we get that rain consistently every day, every other day, every couple of days, it is not going to make a difference," Todd Chlanda, a spokesman for the Florida Forestry Service, said. "We are still going to be running fires because of that."

On Thursday, Chlanda said there were four wildfires in our area, one in Pinellas County, one in Hillsborough County, and two in Polk County. One wildfire in Polk County was the largest, consuming 60 acres. 

In 2017, the Indian Lake Estates/River Ranch area of Southeast Polk County got hit brutally hard with 6,500 acres burned. When firefighters finally got that fire under control, another one broke out, blackening another 2,000 acres. Dozens of hunting camps were destroyed.

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Last year was not as nearly bad, but it was still considered an "active season" for fire danger. This year, which is experiencing lower than normal rainfall so far, is expected to be the same.

"For the time being, for today, we’re pretty good with having no fires, but all it is going to take is a couple of days of sun and wind, which is typical Florida weather, and we are going to be right back in the swing of wildfires," Chlanda said.