FLORIDA — While California is still dealing with the deadly wildfires that have plagued the Los Angeles area, Florida fire management services are working to reduce the risk of brush fires during the dry season.

However, that wasn’t always the case. It took a devastating event in the 90s to change the way the state manages Florida forests.

In June 1998, wildfires were raging in Flagler and Volusia counties. Hundreds of homes and business burnt down.

Smoke filled the sky, reaching all the way to downtown Orlando.

More than 10,000 firefighters from 47 states came in to help, along with 100 aircraft to help battle the flames from above.

The wildfires burned 500,000 acres and damaged more than 300 homes.

“Everyone is concerned about California right now. What people don’t understand, in ’98, this was California,” said Florida Forest Service Mitigation Specialist David Grubich.

A special committee was appointed in the wake of the fires, and part of the recommendations was prevention and mitigation of wildfires’ impact.

“That gave birth to what we call our prescribed fire program. With that, it’s a program to certify and educate people about using science for tools to put prescribed fire on the ground,” Grubich explained.

Prescribed burns take away that fuel, so there is nowhere for fires caused by nature or people to move and spread.

Grubich said it is the proactive work that helps them avoid disasters like in 1998, and what’s happening in Los Angeles.

“Make it safe, reduce that fuel loading, and make it more manageable so when we get in there, we can get it out quicker and hopefully save structures, save lives,” he said.

In 2024, FFS intentionally burned more than 270,000 acres on state-owned lands.