The news remains bad across Florida, with no significant rainfall and the number of wildfires continuing to climb.
A major wildfire in Northeast Florida on April 22 — called the Railroad Fire — threatened more than 1,500 homes, prompting officials to open two shelters.
FEMA approved a request from Florida April 22 for federal funds to help battle the blaze, according a news release from the agency.
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The number of active wildfires continues to climb, hitting 137 active fires burning more than 25,000 acres early April 23.
As of 6 a.m. April 23, one road in the state — in Levy County — was closed due to a wildfire. Smoke from other wildfires can affect visibility in several other counties. The Florida Highway Patrol is urging motorists to use caution. The Scenic Highway in Escambia County, which was closed due to a fire the afternoon of April 22, reopened shortly before 7 p.m.
Here’s the latest on conditions April 23.
Map shows location of active wildfires, smoke impacts across Florida
As of 6 a.m. April 23, there were 137 active wildfires burning 25,248 acres across Florida.
According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, between Jan. 1 and April 19 in Florida:
Railroad Fire in Putnam County covers more than 4,100 acres
The Railroad Fire in Putnam County has grown to 4,168 acres, according to the Florida Forest Service.
As of 5:40 p.m. April 22, it was 55% contained.
‘Major disaster’: FEMA authorizes federal funds to reimburse costs to fight Railroad Fire
FEMA authorized federal funds to reimburse costs to Florida to fight the Railroad Fire burning in Putnam and Clay counties, the agency announced in a news release April 22.
“On April 22, the state of Florida submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant for the Railroad Fire Complex.
“At the time of the request, the fire threatened more than 1,500 homes, three businesses and community infrastructure in and around Putnam and Clay counties. Two shelters are open … and approximately 220 people have voluntarily evacuated,” FEMA said.
“FEMA Region 4 Acting Administrator Rob Ashe approved the state’s request on April 22, as the fire threatened to become a major disaster.”
The grants provide federal funding for up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs.
Are any roads closed due to smoke?
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, at 6 a.m. April 23 one road was closed. Here’s what the FHP has noted on its website:
Smoke affecting air quality in some Florida counties
According to the EPA, despite the number of wildfires and associated smoke, air quality in the state range from good to moderate.
➤ See breakdown of air quality by Florida county
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:
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Drought and dryness categories: 99% of Florida
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 in 41 Florida counties
As of 6 a.m. April 23, burn bans have been issued for 41 of Florida’s 67 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.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Wildfire numbers jump again in Florida. See latest locations, road closures
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
