Recent rain may have helped some areas of Florida, but the drought continues and wildfires continue to burn.
Visibility on some roads has been affected in some areas early May 8.
The air quality has diminished in a few counties, especially in Northeast Florida.
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Here’s a look at current conditions.
Current drought conditions in Florida
The U.S. Drought Monitor on May 5 provided the following breakdown on how bad the drought is in Florida:
Drought and dryness categories:
Total area in drought: 98.7%, impacting 17.9 million Florida residents.
Burn bans in effect in 50 Florida counties
Burn bans are in effect in 50 of Florida’s 67 counties, as of May 6.
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.”
Where are wildfires in Florida today?
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, between Jan. 1 and May 3 in Florida:
Are any roads closed due to smoke?
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, at 7 a.m. May 8, wildfires have been reported near these locations. See if they’re affecting visibility:
See latest reports on air quality around Florida today
Air quality in Florida May 8 ranges from good to unhealth for sensitive groups.
➤ Where is smoke in Jacksonville coming from?
The worst conditions are reported in Northeast Florida in Jacksonville.
Florida weather alerts issued by National Weather Service
Interactive map: Enter your address to find closest wildfire risks
Will it rain anytime soon in Florida? See the radar
How can you conserve water while it’s dry in Florida?
Here are some suggestions from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Florida’s water management districts on how you can save water both inside and outside your home:
Inside
Outside
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What’s next?
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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://jacksonville.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Where are fires burning in Florida this morning? Affected roads
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
