The more than 575-acre fire in Walton County prompted about 500 people to evacuate. A helicopter carrying a bucket flies near a brush fire in Golden Gate Estates in Florida on Wednesday. (Devon Ravine/Northwest Florida Daily News via AP) Wildfires in Florida occur at all times of the year. ORLANDO, Fla. – Wildfires can happen at any time in Florida, leaving charred landscapes and even destroyed homes in their wake. Lightning, burning … There are three fires in the Panhandle region. Adding to the fire hazard is the growing number of people living in new communities built in areas that were once wildland. According to the Florida Forest Service (FFS), the Five Mile Swamp Fire in Santa Rosa County was spreading quickly because of high winds and … These include the Mussett Bayou fire at 575 acres and the Hurst Hammock 2 … More than a dozen wildfires raged this week across Florida, which is … As a result of this growth, fire protection becomes everyone's responsibility. The agriculture department said that since January, the … At least four brush fires merged into one blaze and scorched thousands of acres across Southwest Florida as of Thursday, spurring evacuations and shutting down a major interstate. Authorities say firefighters in the Florida Panhandle battled wildfires through the night that have forced hundreds of people to evacuate from their homes. This growth places even greater pressure on the state's wildland firefighters. County Burn Bans South Florida and some of Central Florida were under a fire weather watch on Thursday. This informational page is designed to provide you with the most current information available regarding wildfires in Florida. Zoom in to get a better look at the fires in Florida.