[TomSpasm]

Shortly after moving to Northeast St. Petersburg in May, 1985, a wildfire broke out less than a mile from my apartment building, and we had several more over the next couple weeks until the rains came in June. In 1998, from May 30th to July 10th, 234,000 acres burned in Volusia and Flagler counties in Florida. Statewide, 500,000 acres were burned by 2,200 fires. So the short answer is, yes, fires can happen in Florida.

Source - Your browser is not supported | news-journalonline.com

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by CrazyTiki

I am a native Floridian and with the exception of the Florida Firestorm of 1998, we have never had those kinds of problems. The fires of 1998 were caused by an extreme drought in late spring of that year. In addition to our humidity, we have many natural fire breaks such as rivers and canals in addition to frequent control burns, especially down south in the glades.

Are you suggesting that because it happened in Florida in 1998, it can’t happen again?

“ ...'The wildfires of 1998 brought another harsh reminder to the people of Florida of the power of natural hazards to destroy property, threaten safety, and cause untold human hardship. Overall, after the firestorm was finally extinguished, the event had caused one of the worst wildfire disasters in Florida's history, resulting in nearly 2,300 wildfires with almost 500,000 acres burned. Well over 300 homes were damaged or destroyed, and the value of lost timber exceeded $300 million.”

“ The 1998 Florida wildfires, sometimes referred to as the Florida Firestorm, was a wildfire event involving several thousand separate woodland and mixed urban-rural wildfires which wrought severe damage during the summer months of 1998. Wildfires sparked mainly by lightning threatened to converge into single, vast blazes, crossed natural firebreaks such as rivers and interstate highways, and demanded an unprecedented suppression response of firefighting resources from across the country.”

“ Florida had historically been considered as an area of lower susceptibility for wildfires, due to its high humidity and rainfall levels. An El Nino during the winter of 1998 produced above-average rainfall, which enabled extensive growth of underbrush and vegetation in the state's forests. In early April, however, the rains came to an abrupt halt, and the ensuing drought lasted until July. These months of continuing dry conditions saw the drought index rise to 700 (out of 800), indicating wildfire potential similar to that usually found in western states. Exacerbating the wildfire risk was the fact that development in Florida had proceeded with many new communities being built on former rural, wooded properties, often with heavy vegetation within feet of structures, and without municipal water systems and fire hydrants.”

1998 Florida wildfires - Wikipedia

[Arlington2]

Originally Posted by Mmgeaney

I wondering if the county or the villages comes around and tests the fire hydrants occasionally? I remember my municipality in NJ would flush the hydrants.

Yes they do. I have a hydrant in my yard and they come around periodically to flush it out.

[Ptmcbriz]

No not on a scale like California. Their mountainous topography where many fires start with no access roads because they are so steep is where fires grow in size. The canyons help funnel high winds along with several days of hurricane winds (Santa Ana’s). Plus the land is covered in high oil content trees, eucalyptus, pine, manzanita. Combine that with no rain for 9 months creates fires uncontrollable.

Florida is flat which is easily accessible by strike teams and our winds come with heavy rains.

[Birdrm]

Originally Posted by Mmgeaney

I wondering if the county or the villages comes around and tests the fire hydrants occasionally? I remember my municipality in NJ would flush the hydrants.

My father was a volunteer fireman in NJ, and yes they would go around and turn on each hydrant to check the water pressure!

[Regorp]

Originally Posted by Pugchief

There will be some, but it seems like most of CA's ex-pats settle in AZ, NV, ID and TX.

A few celebrities have moved here, ie Sly Stallone, Scott Baio, Hannity, and Kayleigh McEnany, to name a few. There will be more due to similar climate and Florida is a friendly environment for movie companies.

[Jim1mack]

Originally Posted by Mmgeaney

I wondering if the county or the villages comes around and tests the fire hydrants occasionally? I remember my municipality in NJ would flush the hydrants.

They do. As an 11 year resident I’ve observed it. Great management here in TV

[Mazjaz]

[QUOTE=jbartle1;2400762]With hurricanes monitoring drought, and living on a peninsula, is it possible???[/QUOTE

I am a retired firefighter and have a daughter who lives just north of LA. If you have ever been there, your first thought would this is a disaster waiting to happen. All the dry hills and homes nestled together seems a bit ridiculous. I was out there during the Malibu fire watching it burn in early December from her back yard 10 miles away.

[Zenmama18]

Originally Posted by CrazyTiki

I am a native Floridian and with the exception of the Florida Firestorm of 1998, we have never had those kinds of problems. The fires of 1998 were caused by an extreme drought in late spring of that year. In addition to our humidity, we have many natural fire breaks such as rivers and canals in addition to frequent control burns, especially down south in the glades.

We were living near Orlando in 1998, it was a strange year. Early on in the year there was a lot of rain, then drought, then the fires, I think over a half million acres burned mainly on the eastern side of the state.

[midiwiz]

Originally Posted by jbartle1

With hurricanes monitoring drought, and living on a peninsula, is it possible???

this is why we have controlled burns in the state. Even though that is performed every year there might be one or two that sneak into existance. Typically over on the east coast of the state.

[Rodneysblue]

Originally Posted by Mmgeaney

I wondering if the county or the villages comes around and tests the fire hydrants occasionally? I remember my municipality in NJ would flush the hydrants.

Yes they do. I have seen them checking hydrants it seems like annually.

[mnorton]

Originally Posted by jbartle1

With hurricanes monitoring drought, and living on a peninsula, is it possible???

No fires like California will happen in Florida. We do selective burns, remove dried brush, and have multi millions of gallons of reserve water. Unlike the other state!

[Runway48]

If houses are packed in tight, the undergrowth and bushes have to be kept under control. It's nice to have the illusion of living in the wilderness but forest fires are part of the wilderness. In a community of tightly packed houses, once a house fire starts, and there are very strong winds, the houses become the fuel for the fire to spread rapidly (no trees or brush needed). It happened in Colorado a couple years ago. Wiped out an entire housing development. A similar event happened in the Coffey Park fire in Northern California several years ago. Though that was started by the Tubbs fire, once it hit the Coffey Park development it spread rapidly house to house. I think under the right combination of events TV could have a fire disaster.

[jimjamuser]

I doubt that we will have wildfires sweeping across Florida. But, in the summer with the increased temperature of the waters in the Gulf and Atlantic, we may get increased thunderstorms. Then more lightning could hit more Florida homes and cause fires for individual homes.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

I remember some smoke coming down to the Tampa Bay area due to wildfires to the northeast of there. That could have been the fires in 1998. Not sure.

One year we had smoke from fires in Southern Georgia blowing south as far as Tampa, I believe. I forget what year that was?