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Fire Season Announces Its Presence With Authority

    Smoke-filled skies.  Road closures.  The 2025 fire season announced its presence in a big way in the last week, with travel throughout North Lake County impacted by at least two wildfires.  The incidents, one in Astor and another in Altoona, raised concern among area fire officials that this year’s fire season could be an active one.
    "It's been an unusually dry winter.  We need some rain," said Carrie Sekerak, District Ranger of the Ocala National Forest.  Sekerak was on scene Saturday at a fire south of Lake Dorr in the Altoona area, a fire that started last Thursday, February 6.  On Saturday, it had grown to 400 acres, and by Monday was almost 500.
    Sekerak said the fire was human started, but stopped short of indicating it could have been intentionally set.  Fires are easily started this time of year, as hot, dry conditions and dead foliage leftover from winter freezes combine to make for a high-risk environment.
    The Altoona fire was visible for miles at midday Saturday, as it moved over a swampy area located north of CR 42.  Officials had hoped the swamp would contain the fire, but winds and ground conditions allowed it to grow beyond that preferred border, leaving officials to use roads in the area and contemplate digging fire lines.  On Monday afternoon, the fire was listed at 90% contained. By Tuesday, the fire was reported as 100% contained.
    The Altoona fire followed a much-smaller fire in the Alco Road area of Astor, which drew a response last week.  Estimated at 10 acres, that fire was contained and controlled before it could impact houses in the area.
    Additionally, a small fire was reported inside the Navy Bombing Range on Saturday.  Listed at just .2 acres, the fire was not expected to have a large impact.
    Protecting homes is a major goal of fire responders, and Sekerak is encouraging residents to take care in the coming weeks and months to help prevent fires. Having a population that understands how to prevent fires is more challenging these days, as the area is home to more and more new residents.
    “Locals know,” Sekerak said of understanding the fire risk that is common this time of year.  “They know to be fire smart.  We need them to tell their neighbors that are new to the area.”
    Wildfires can be started by something as simple as a hot tailpipe brushing against dead grass, or from a discarded bottle reflecting sunlight onto dry grass.  Visitors to the forest, or residents in area, are reminded to take extra care until the summer rainy season arrives, usually in early June.
    Removing dead fuel from around homes and keeping growth from structures can help should a fire break out near a residence. 
    The US Forest Service and the Florida Forest Service work to reduce the risk of an out-of-control wildfire by undertaking a regular schedule of prescribed burning.  Additionally, relationships within the public service community allow for a quick response when fires spark up.  Such was the case in the last week, when both the Florida Highway Patrol and Florida Department of Transportation assisted the Forest Service with warning signs and road closures when smoke became too thick for safe travel.  On Sunday alone, a section of CR 42 and SR 19 were closed when smoke from the Lake Dorr area fire reduced road visibility to near zero.
    “We have a great relationship with the FHP, the FDOT, and the Florida Forest Service,” Sekerak said.  “They are really helpful.”
    Cooperation will be key as the season progresses.  Should conditions remain ripe for fire, incidents will continue to increase.  Historically, April and May are among the most active months.  In some years past, local firefighters have been supported by responders from other states, with both ground and air equipment at times being deployed to contain wildfires.
    Soil moisture in Florida is tracked by the Keetch Byram Drought Index.  Managed by the Florida Forest Service, the index gives an indication of fire risk.  Early this week, Lake County was in the 450-499 range of the scale, a midpoint on the 0-750 range.  Lake County is characteristic of broader readings throughout Central Florida, with South Florida, where at least two counties are already in the 600-649 range, being much dryer.  However, north Florida, buoyed by recent rains and snowfall, remains in the range's lower categories, and thus has a lower risk of fire.