Heavy smoke from wildfires envelops a police car near Interlachen on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. | Putnam County Sheriff's Office
Published on February 4, 2026 at 11:15 am
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Heavy smoke from wildfires in Putnam County closed two schools and several roads.
- A wildfire in the Interlachen area forced the temporary closure of County Road 315 from State Road 20 south to County Road 310 early Wednesday, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said.
- The Florida Highway Patrol temporarily closed State Road 20 and Keuka Road due to heavy smoke. Video shot by a Putnam County deputy just before 9 a.m. Wednesday showed zero visibility.
- Highway 20 at County Road 315 to Lake Galilee also was closed temporarily due to smoke from the Pace Court Fire, which has been burning 5 miles east of Interlachen for a number of days.
- The school district closed Interlachen Junior-Senior High and Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Elementary. School bus routes could not run on the west end of the county.
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The smoke cleared and the roads reopened by late morning, but the Sheriff’s Office warned that conditions could become treacherous after the sun goes down. A similar scenario could occur Thursday morning, depending on weather conditions, the Sheriff’s Office said.
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Wildfire emergency
A local state of emergency is in effect for Putnam County due to the threat of wildfires from abnormally dry conditions, according to county officials. The burn ban means that no outdoor burning is allowed except for outdoor food grills and commercial land clearing.
Violating the burn ban is a second-degree misdemeanor, subject to a fine of up to $500 for each offense and a 60-day jail sentence. This includes anyone throwing a cigarette from a vehicle and the use of fireworks.
The ban follows a wildfire over the weekend near Pace Court, with smoke forcing the closure of Keuka Road, and visibility issues on State Road 20 and County Road 315. Several homes were threatened due to brush fires, and evacuations had to occur until the fire was under control, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
State officials say the overall fire danger level is moderate in Northeast Florida,
