Most of Tampa Bay area enters severe drought to start 2026 from lack of rain

Much of Tampa Bay area in severe drought

The Withlacoochee Forestry Center of the Florida Forest Service said it's already responded to nine wildfires in 2026 in the Tampa Bay area. The latest one was in Citrus County, and the current weather isn’t enough to keep the wildfires down. FOX 13's Briona Arradondo reports. 

The Withlacoochee Forestry Center of the Florida Forest Service said it's already responded to nine wildfires in 2026 in the Tampa Bay area. The latest one was in Citrus County, and the current weather isn’t enough to keep the wildfires down.

What we know:

The Tampa Bay area has been hurting for rain this winter, which is normal for the dry season this time of year. But, the prolonged period of low rainfall has caused a severe drought.

"We've also had some frost, you know, so that dries out that the grass and your plants and the underbrush as well," said Lela Braunsch, a wildfire mitigation specialist with the Withlacoochee Forestry Center of the Florida Forest Service.

Braunsch said all of that is fuel for wildfires. As a wildfire mitigation specialist, she said they’ve been busy.

"For us in Citrus County, we've been running a lot of little fires in there. There are pile burns that are getting away, same in Hernando County, Sumter [County]. We have ran in every county since New Years. I just looked, and it’s up to nine fires," said Braunsch. She added that the Withlacoochee Forestry Center serves Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Sumter, and Lake counties.

All of the fires were five acres or smaller and contained, she said. The most recent happened on New Year’s Day in Citrus County, causing property damage.

"Embers alone can go to your neighbor's yard. And for instance, that's what happened yesterday, and it damaged the neighbor's yard," said Braunsch.

By the numbers:

As of Friday, the Tampa Bay area is now under a severe drought, ripe for wildfires.

"We're preparing. Now if we don't get some rain, it could get a little bit worse," said Braunsch.

The latest data from the U.S. Drought Monitor show every county along the Gulf and the Bay from Citrus down to Sarasota is marked in dark orange as severe. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue warned of the dry conditions since Thanksgiving. 

"A heat source is what could light up, any kind of heat source could light up a yard, a forest or anything like that. So just having some situational awareness of what’s going on around you," said Rob Herrin, the public safety information chief with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue on November 25.

What you can do:

Forestry officials said you can help them and yourself by getting wildfire ready at home, like cleaning your gutters and clearing your porch of leaves and pine needles. Braunsch also shared actions residents can do while out and about.

"Don't throw your cigarette away. Dragging chains on a vehicle with a trailer, it can spark and spark a fire. Sitting on the side of the road with your engine running, that can also set up a fire or a wildfire," said Braunsch.

Some Bay Area counties are under a burn ban, including Citrus, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Hardee, Highlands and DeSoto counties. Florida Forestry Service said if you see a brush or wildfire, call your local fire department and report it.