Seminole fire officials warn of higher danger as dry winds persist

Seminole County firefighters warned residents to treat even routine outdoor chores as a fire risk Monday as dry air and gusty northeast winds pushed fire danger higher across interior east Central Florida. The National Weather Service in Melbourne issued a Red Flag Warning from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., signaling critical fire weather conditions while humidity stayed low and winds remained breezy to gusty.

Assistant Chief Tod Zellers of the Seminole County Fire Department urged people to avoid open burning, bonfires, outside cooking and brush piles. He said the weather made it easier for a small flame to turn into a fast-moving emergency, especially when dry grass, yard debris or patio cooking equipment were involved.

That warning carried extra weight in Sanford, where a home on Laurel Drive was damaged in a fire that investigators said was likely sparked by a charcoal grill on a porch or back patio. Residents called 911 after noticing the fire, and no one was hurt, but smoke and water damage left the house uninhabitable. The blaze underscored how quickly a normal backyard activity can become a major household disaster when wind and dryness line up.

The local danger came as Florida faced a broader wildfire surge. State reports said roughly 113 to 114 active wildfires were burning across Florida on Monday morning, consuming about 13,000 to 13,965 acres. Florida Forest Service director Rick Dolan said the state was in the driest conditions he had seen in 25 years, and he said peak fire season usually arrives toward the end of May. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson said crews were staging equipment around Florida to strengthen response capability.

The state has already seen about 1,500 wildfires in the first three months of 2026, putting Florida on track to surpass the totals from 2024 and 2025. In Seminole County, burn bans are automatically triggered under county code when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index reaches 500 or higher and no measurable rain is forecast, a threshold that reflects how quickly dry weather can turn into fire weather.

For Seminole County residents, the message was plain: a grill on the patio, a tossed cigarette, a yard debris pile or a small burn can become dangerous fast when humidity drops and wind picks up.