Jacksonville firefighters battle a 2-acre wildfire recently on UNF Drive.| Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
Published on February 13, 2026 at 4:00 pm
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Jacksonville officials issued strict warnings Friday about the elevated risk of wildfires, the result of severe drought conditions across Northeast Florida.
The city faced 10 times as many wildfires in January as the same month last year. Almost 50 times more acreage was burned.
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Firefighters battled 29 wildfires so far this year, versus only 13 in the same period last year, Fire Chief Percy Golden II said during a news conference Friday. That’s due to a lack of rain in “a dry, dry season” that everyone needs to take seriously, he said.
“We just want to educate people and prevent — we want to be proactive instead of reaction, just trying to educate fire prevention for wildfires and things like that,” Golden said.
People should clear vegetation around their homes, at least about 30 feet or more if possible, Golden said. Fire pits should be avoided because hot embers can fly off into the woods and wildlands.
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The city is coordinating with the National Weather Service, Florida Forest Service and its own Fire and Rescue Department and Emergency Preparedness Division in case wildfires erupt, Mayor Donna Deegan said.
“This is a big deal. This is no longer time for business as usual,” Deegan said during the news conference at Fire Station 2 in Springfield. “JFRD has the full support to utilize the resources we need to protect the residents and their property. We also have the support of the governor and state of Florida via an executive order, which addresses the impact of winter droughts and wildfire risks.”
The U.S. Drought Monitor states that this is the 33rd driest year in Duval County in the past 132 years and the 33rd driest January on record in that same period. Duval, Nassau, St. Johns, Putnam and Baker counties all are classified as “extreme drought” areas.
A lack of rain in recent weeks led the St. Johns River Water Management District to declare a moderate water shortage in Duval, Baker and three other counties this week. Residents were ordered to avoid “wasteful and unnecessary water use.”
This is a temporary, precautionary declaration made when dry conditions begin to strain water resources. All users are asked to voluntarily reduce use and conserve water to the maximum extent possible.
The declaration came after staff evaluated rainfall and groundwater levels, river flows and current drought conditions and found that countywide rainfall totals for Duval and the four other counties were at or below 40 inches for the past year, the district said.
“And really what sets this drought apart from prior droughts we’ve had is … the number of freezes we’ve experienced, particularly in January and February,” National Weather Services meteorologist Ben Nelson said. “Those were 21 freezes, which is above the normal of 15 that we see in a year. And eight of those freezes were hard. That killed quite a bit of vegetation around.”
Florida Forest Service spokesperson Mike Work said the service has helped the fire department battle 11 blazes this year, versus one in the same period last year, all due to frost-damaged and dry vegetation.
Golden said the fire department has nine four-wheel-drive brush trucks that can get into rougher terrain to “handle wildfires in ways that standard fire engines cannot.” More firefighting resources are being set up, Work said.
More wildfire precautions
Fire officials said all outdoor burning is prohibited in Jacksonville anyway without a city permit. Golden warned people not to leave barbecues or fire pits unattended and douse them with water when done.
Drivers should not toss lit cigarettes out car windows or use equipment that sprays sparks, which can set dry grass ablaze, Golden added.
City and state officials asked residents to call 911 if they see any fire. If you “catch them small, you keep them small,” Work said.
Duval County residents were told to download the city’s AlertJax emergency notifications app to receive the latest emergency notifications from Duval County Emergency Management.
