Air quality ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ near this Florida college town
The number of active wildfires burning across Florida continues to go up.
On April 20, there were 103 wildfires. Twenty-four hours later, the number was up to 113, with the air quality in the Gainesville area deemed “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
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As of 8 a.m. April 21, the fires were burning almost 13,000 acres, with most in the northern half of the state.
A road in Franklin County was closed at 8 a.m. April 21, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Others remain open, although smoke can affect visibility in some areas, and the Florida Highway Patrol is urging motorists to use caution.
Red flag warnings have been issued for 32 of Florida’s 67 counties, and fire weather watches have been issued for 11 counties.
Here’s what you should know April 21.
Map shows location of active wildfires, smoke impacts across Florida
As of 8 a.m. April 21, there were 113 active wildfires burning 12,852 acres across Florida.
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, between Jan. 1 and April 19 in Florida:
- Acres burned: 103,211
- Number of wildfires: 1,797
Are any roads closed due to smoke?
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, at 8 a.m. April 21 one road is closed due to smoke or fires. Here’s what the FHP has noted on its website:
- Franklin County: A fire has been reported at State Road 65 and Sand Beach Road near Eastpoint. The road is closed; use alternate routes.
- Putnam County: A fire has been reported at U.S. 17 at Palmetto Bluff near Palatka. Smoke in the area may cause visibility issues.
- Clay County: A fire has been reported at U.S. 17 at Crowl Road near Green Cove Springs. Smoke in the area may cause visibility issues.
- Alachua County: A fire reported near State Road 121 north of Northwest 13th Street near Gainesville. Smoke in the area may cause visibility issues.
- Alachua County: Another fire has been reported at State Road 26 and County Road 234 near Gainesville. No visibility issues have been reported.
- Columbia County: A fire has been reported at Northeast Range Road at 278 near Lake City. No visibility issues have been reported.
Smoke affecting air quality in some Florida counties
According to the EPA, the air quality in the Gainesville area is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Elsewhere, air quality ranges from good to moderate.
➤ See breakdown of air quality by Florida county
How do I protect myself when air quality is bad or if I have breathing problems?
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, here’s what you can do to protect yourself if you have breathing problems or the air quality is bad where you live:
If you are at home:
- Close all doors and windows.
- If you are running your window air conditioner, set it to recirculation so it stops pulling air from outside. Regularly change your filter to help pull any pollutants out of the indoor air.
- Consider purchasing an air purifier with a HEPA filter if you live in an area with frequent air quality problems, especially if you live with someone who is particularly vulnerable to air pollution.
If you have to go outdoors:
- Regularly check for air quality updates.
- Limit time outside as much as possible.
- Wear an N95 mask to filter out particulate matter when you are outside.
- Change out of your outdoor clothes as soon as you get home, since particulates can infiltrate the fabric and then later be inhaled.
Red flag warnings, fire weather watches issued for most of Florida
Red flag warnings have been issued for 32 of Florida’s 67 counties, and fire weather watches have been issued for 11 counties.
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.
In Florida, the criteria used to issue a red flag warning 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.”
What is a fire weather watch?
A fire weather watch means critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur within the next 24 to 48 hours, according to the National Weather Service.
Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.
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:
➤ Strict water use rules sweep the nation ahead of summer
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%
Total area in drought: 99%, impacting 18.1 million Florida residents.
The drought monitor said January-March 2026 is the ninth driest period on record, which date back to 1895.
Burn bans in effect across Florida
As of 8 a.m. April 21, burn bans have been issued for 37 of Florida’s 67 counties.
Burning yard debris is always prohibited in two counties:
What is a burn ban?
The Florida Forest Service tries combines all county-enacted burn bans on its website.
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.
➤ Current Florida fire danger map
Burn bans are issued when there’s a high risk for wildfires and include such conditions as:
What is the Keetch-Byram Drought Index?
The Florida Forest Service and U.S. Forest Service use the Keetch-Byram Drought Index to measure the risk of wildfires based on soil moisture, how dry fuel is, and precipitation.
The scale ranges from 0 to 800, with 0 indicating saturated soil and 800 representing extreme drought with a high potential for “intense, deep-burning fires.”
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Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://tallahassee.com/newsletters.
