Florida Plagued By Record Extreme Drought
The US state of Florida is currently experiencing its worst drought conditions in a quarter-century. For the first time since records began, all areas of the state are under some level of drought, and 70% of the state is categorized as “severe” or “extreme.”12 Many places in the Sunshine State have received only 50% of normal rainfall in the last few months.3
Florida is already the state most at risk from climate change, as hurricanes become stronger and more frequent, and sea-level rise threatens low-lying coastal cities like Miami. The recent drought highlights yet another risk for residents.
Dry conditions have generated abundant dry vegetation as kindling for wildfires. Since the beginning of the year, nearly 1,000 brush fires have been reported, including the massive National fire in the Big Cypress National Preserve - which has burnt over 35,000 acres.45
Cattle ranchers have been forced to supplement their cattle’s feed, as grass for natural grazing has died out.6 Citrus growers are expecting a smaller harvest. Severe weather combined with Citrus Greening Disease - itself exacerbated by climate change - has reduced Florida’s citrus crop by 90% since its peak in the early 2000s.7
Burning and water use restrictions have been put in place.
"I drive down my road, and it's pretty brown, and usually it's pretty green, lots of flowers. But, you know, I don't see a lot of that right now," one local resident tells WINK News in Fort Myers.8
It is too early for attribution studies to have been performed. But climate change - driven by the burning of fossil fuels - makes severe weather such as droughts and wildfires more likely.
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