Why the Southeast is burning – extreme drought is only part of the reason

Large components of the southeastern US are in the midst of an distinctive drought, and it is fueling dozens of wildfires in Florida and Georgia.

One of these wildfires, in southeastern Georgia’s Brantley Countyhad damaged about 90 homeswas threatening a whole bunch extra, and had unfold to more than 20,000 acres by April 26, 2026. Another hearth close to the Georgia-Florida border had burned more than 30,000 acres and about 35 constructions. The smoke from the blazes triggered air quality alerts in Atlanta, in the north-central part of the state.

Why is a area of the US most frequently identified for thunderstorms and humidity in spring seeing so many wildfires?

Yo teach meteorology at the Georgia Institute of Technologytogether with how climate patterns can result in situations conducive to wildfires. Here’s what’s taking place to drive these situations.

Key substances for a wildfire

Wildfires want a few key ingredients to unfold: low relative humidity, dry fuels and robust winds.

Much of the Southeast has been in a drought since July 2025. From mid-March to mid-April 2026, the area noticed lower than 1 / 4 of its regular precipitation for that point of 12 months.

As a consequence, the US Drought Monitor labeled most of this area in “extreme” or “exceptional” drought by mid-April.

Part of the reason for the lack of rainfall has been a persistent high-pressure system over the Southeast.

High-pressure systems are areas the place air aloft sinks towards the floor, stopping clouds and precipitation from forming. The Southeast high-pressure system resulted from the presence of a “ridge” in the jet streama northward bend on this quick present of air a number of miles above Earth’s floor.

Another consequence of this excessive stress has been the presence of usually southeast winds, which have transported heat and pretty dry air into the space.

The relative humidity – a measure of the quantity of moisture in the air relative to the most quantity the air can include at its precise air temperature – has additionally been very low resulting from warmer-than-usual temperatures and lower-than-usual humidity.

As a consequence of these situations, trees, grass and leaves dry out and may shortly turn out to be gas for wildfires. That type of dry gas is widespread all through rural areas of Georgia and north Florida.

Once a fireplace begins, whether or not from lightning, energy traces or different human sources, sturdy winds can unfold it quickly in these situations. Georgia hearth officers mentioned the largest hearth in mid-April, close to the Florida state line, began with a spark from welding equipment that ignited surrounding vegetation. They imagine a mylar balloon hitting an influence line sparked the hearth that burned dozens of properties in Brantley County.

What’s forward for the area?

As world temperatures rise, the frequency of drought conditions in the Southeast will increase. This, together with less soil moisture content in the summercould possibly be conductive for elevated wildfire exercise.

Wildfires do finally burn out. It takes a mix of assist from the environment, with moisture to douse them, and firefighters clearing away dry gas to cease their unfold.

Georgia and Florida could get a reprieve quickly from the climate, as a number of low-pressure methods are forecast for the area in late April and early May that would convey rainfall. In the meantime, greater than half of Georgia’s counties are under a state of emergencyas a number of businesses battle the flames to guard properties with helicopters in the air and scores of firefighters on the floor.

This article, initially printed April 23, 2026, has been up to date with extra properties broken and the suspected causes.