Record March heat, drought in Florida 'likely' sparked massive brush fire
More than 3,500 rental cars were damaged or destroyed in the brush fire, believed to have been caused by recent record heat and drought conditions
Record heat and dry conditions are "likely" to blame after a massive brush fire destroyed more than 3,500 rental cars at a southwestern Florida airport Friday.
Plumes of black smoke could be seen up to 32 kilometres away from the blaze. While officials haven't stated the cause of the fire, yet, they indicated it was likely fuelled by dry conditions and record heat that plagued the state in March.
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The fire occurred in an overflow parking area for rental cars at the Southwest Florida International Airport near Fort Myers in Lee County. Crews from multiple agencies responded to contain the fire, both from the ground and air.
ACTIVE FIRES
Lee County and much of the Florida peninsula are experiencing moderate drought conditions, according to the United States Drought Monitor, with about 65 wildfires currently ongoing across the state as of Sunday morning.
Every county was at either moderate or high risk for fire, according to the Florida Forest Service. Florida's dry season typically runs from October through May, but this year is drier than usual due to low rainfall and record-high temperatures.
RECORD MARCH HEAT, DROUGHT CONDITIONS
In March, a consistent ridge of high pressure was strong near the Gulf Coast and Florida, pushing most frontal systems north of the Sunshine State and blocking out any significant rain until an end-of-the-month cold front moved through.
This allowed for numerous locales, including Daytona Beach, Fort Myers, Orlando, Pensacola and Sarasotato, to experience their hottest March on record, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center. Jacksonville set a March all-time record high on March 28 by jumping t to 94°F (34.44°C), tying or establishing nine daily record highs – most of any month.
Fort Myers recorded nine days of 90-degree-plus heat, which more than doubled its previous 1949 March record. All-time monthly record highs were tied on the last day in Fort Pierce and Vero Beach, with each hitting 93°F (33.88°C).
Tampa International Airport picked up only a trace of rain in March, only the third time in history without at least 0.01 inch (0.254 mm) of rain in March.
Meanwhile, it was the driest month on record in Vero Beach, while only one other March was drier in Fort Myers than in 2020. Each city only picked up 0.02 inch (0.508 mm) of rain before a band of showers passed south Florida shortly after midnight April 1.
Thumbnail courtesy of Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
Sources: Weather Channel | Weather Channel