Wildfires increase across Florida. St. Johns County issues burn ban
.JPG "A wildfire at Millican Road has has grown to about 30 acres in the Bostwick community of Putnam County on Friday, April 17, 2026.")
Wildfires are increasing across Florida as dry, windy conditions continue to fuel fire danger statewide.
Red flag warnings have been issued for 32 of Florida’s 67 counties, with fire weather watches in place for another 11. As of 8 a.m. April 21, active fires had burned nearly 13,000 acres — most of them in the northern half of the state. The number of wildfires also climbed over the past 24 hours, rising from 103 to 113.
Burn restrictions are expanding in response. Burning yard debris is always prohibited in Duval County, but elevated fire risk and unfavorable weather have prompted broader action. As of Tuesday morning, 37 counties across Florida are now under burn bans.
That includes St. Johns County, where officials issued a countywide burn ban Monday evening amid extreme drought conditions. The order is in effect through April 27 and could be extended if conditions don’t improve.
According to the National Weather Service, the Jacksonville area is still under a red flag warning until 8 p.m. tonight. Here’s what to know about burn bans and wildfire risk across North Florida.
Jacksonville under red flag warning on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
What is a red flag warning?
A red flag warning means critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will happen within the next 24 hours.
The criteria used to issue a red flag warning differ by state, the National Weather Service said.
In Florida, the criteria include:
- Relative humidity: Less than 28%
- Winds: 15 mph or greater
- Energy release component: 26 or greater
- This is the “total burning potential influenced by fuel moisture and woody fuel.”
Exceptional and extreme drought continues for Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia. Due to ongoing drought conditions, low relative humidity, and dry fuels will increase the wildfire risk.
Here’s what you can do to reduce the chance for wildfires while under a red flag warning, according to IFAC.org:
- Avoid using lawn mowers in dry vegetation.
- Follow local fire restrictions on use of chainsaws, mowers and other equipment during high-risk times.
- Follow fire restrictions and burn bans in your area.
- Extinguish outdoor fires properly and never leave them unattended.
- Soak ashes and charcoal in water and dispose of them in a metal can.
- Report unattended outdoor fires immediately.
- Never throw cigarettes or matches out of a vehicle.
- Do not drive in dry, tall grass.
County-enacted burn bans were in effect for 31 of Florida’s 67 counties as of April 20.
A burn ban typically prohibits the outside burning of yard trash and vegetation, as well as campfires, bonfires and burn barrels, but can vary by county.
Burn bans are issued when there’s a high risk for wildfires and include such conditions as:
- prolonged drought
- low humidity
- high winds, or
- high Keetch-Byram Drought Index
The emergency order bans all outdoor burning, including:
- Yard debris burning
- Campfires and bonfires
- Any unattended open flames
- Tossing cigarettes on the ground
- Using fireworks
- Parking vehicles on dry grass
The burn ban is currently in place through April 27, 2026, but officials say it may be extended depending on weather conditions and fire risk levels.
How does the burn ban in Northeast Florida counties connect to Florida’s statewide emergency?
The local burn ban aligns with broader action across the state.
On April 10, Ron DeSantis extended Florida’s drought-related state of emergency for another 60 days, citing:
- Ongoing drought conditions
- Increased wildfire activity
- Agricultural impacts following severe winter weather
Current drought conditions in Florida
The U.S. Drought Monitor on April 14 (the latest date with data available) provided the following breakdown on how bad the drought is in Florida:
Drought and dryness categories: 99% of Florida
- Abnormally dry: 1.0%
- Moderate drought: 6.2%
- Severe drought: 21.6%
- Extreme drought: 50.9%
- Exceptional drought: 20.2%
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Doris Alvarez is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for The Florida Times-Union. You can get all of Jacksonville’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free Daily Briefing and News Alerts newsletters at jacksonville.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Wildfires increase across Florida. St. Johns County issues burn ban
Reporting by Doris Alvarez Cea and Cheryl McCloud, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Wildfires increase across Florida. St. Johns County issues burn ban."