Commissioner Wilton Simpson Highlights Record-Setting Prescribed Fire Season

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Today, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson highlighted the Florida Forest Service's recording-setting 2023-2024 prescribed fire season to combat and mitigate catastrophic wildfires in Florida. In the current fiscal year - which runs through June 30, 2024 - the Florida Forest Service has treated 164,915 acres of state forests with prescribed fire, eclipsing last fiscal year's total of 131,628 acres.

"One of my goals as Commissioner of Agriculture is to grow the state's use of prescribed fire as an effective tool to combat the dangers of wildfires in Florida," said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. "This year, not only have we increased the acres treated in our state forests, but we have also begun to record new monthly highs. As we enter our state's drier months, this will play an important part in protecting Florida homes and businesses in wildfire-prone areas."

February 2024 was one of the Florida Forest Service's busiest months ever applying prescribed fire to the state's lands and forests. In February, the Florida Forest Service treated approximately 89,072 acres of state forests with prescribed fire, far above the five-year average of 54,621 acres for the month. These figures do not include prescribed fire applied to private land and non-state forest public land.

"February's total appears to be an agency record, at least going back to 2000," said Florida Forest Service Director Rick Dolan. "Prescribed fire is an important tool that helps us reduce hazardous fuel buildups, significantly reducing the chances of catastrophic wildfires. That results in increased protection to Floridians, their homes, and the forest itself. This is important as we approach the peak of wildfire season."

The busy season for prescribed fires is typically between December and March, which features cool days, more predictable winds, and trees are in their dormant stage. This minimizes stress on the timber while reducing heavy fuel loads, thus providing increased protection to people, their homes, and Florida's forests. Prescribed fire also supports disease control in young forests, wildlife habitat improvement, range management, preservation of endangered plant and animal species, and the maintenance of fire-dependent ecosystems.

The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland, and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.

For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.

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