If you stepped outside this morning and immediately started squinting through a hazy, orange-tinted sky, you aren't alone. It’s thick out there. You might even be checking your stove or sniffing around your backyard, wondering if something in the neighborhood is on fire. But the reality is much bigger. The reason why is it smoky outside in Florida today basically comes down to a perfect storm of winter weather patterns and a massive surge in both "good" and "bad" fires across the state.
Florida is currently in the middle of its peak fire season. Most people think of summer as the danger zone, but January is actually when things get really dry here. Right now, on January 16, 2026, we’re seeing a significant amount of smoke drifting from several major prescribed burns in South Florida—specifically near the Everglades and Glades County—alongside some scattered brush fires that have popped up due to a nasty dry spell.
The Big Culprit: Prescribed Burns in the Glades and Big Cypress
Honestly, most of what you're smelling right now is probably intentional. It sounds counterintuitive to set the woods on fire to prevent fires, but that's exactly what the Florida Forest Service and the National Park Service are doing.
Just a few days ago, the Big Cypress National Preserve officially kicked off its 2026 prescribed fire season. We're talking about a multi-year plan that aims to treat over 81,000 acres. When you have that much land being managed with fire, the smoke has to go somewhere. Today, the wind is pushing that haze right into populated corridors.
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- Glades County: Multiple prescribed burns were reported this week, including the SEA CE 7 Rx unit, covering hundreds of acres.
- Highlands County: Large-scale operations like the APQ Rec Area 12 burn (over 1,100 acres) have been putting out massive plumes.
- South of Lake Okeechobee: Agricultural fires are currently active, sending light-density smoke toward the northwest.
These aren't accidents. They are "prescribed" because they clear out the "fuel"—the dead grass and palmetto scrub—that would otherwise turn a small lightning strike into a catastrophic wildfire later in the spring.
Why the Smoke is Hanging Around Today
Have you noticed how the air feels heavy? That’s not just your imagination. We are dealing with something called a temperature inversion.
Basically, during these cool Florida winter nights, a layer of warm air traps cooler air near the ground. It acts like a lid on a pot. All that smoke from the overnight burns gets stuck right where we breathe instead of rising up into the atmosphere. Once the sun heats things up in the afternoon, that "lid" usually lifts, and the air clears out. But until then, it's pretty miserable for anyone with asthma or allergies.
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Recent Wildfire Activity
It isn't all controlled, though. Hillsborough County just enacted an emergency ban on open burning as of January 15, 2026. Why? Because despite some light rain, the ground is bone-dry.
According to the Florida Forest Service, the state is currently at a "moderate" fire risk, but the number of fire alerts this January has been unusually high compared to the last decade. There was a nasty two-alarm fire at an apartment complex in West Melbourne recently, and brush fires have been popping up along I-95 and Highway 192. When you combine those accidental blazes with the massive prescribed burns, the state starts to look like a giant campfire.
Is it Safe to Be Outside?
If you're wondering why is it smoky outside in Florida today, you're probably also wondering if you should be wearing a mask or keeping the kids inside.
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Health officials generally recommend that "sensitive groups"—think seniors, young children, and folks with COPD—should stay indoors when the haze is this thick. If you can see the smoke or smell it clearly, the particulate matter (PM2.5) is likely at levels that can irritate your lungs.
- Keep the windows shut. It’s tempting to let in the "cool" air, but you’re just inviting the soot into your carpets.
- Recirculate the air in your car. If you’re driving through a hazy patch on the Florida Turnpike or I-75, hit that button so you aren't sucking in the exhaust and smoke.
- Check the Air Quality Index (AQI). Sites like AirNow.gov give real-time updates for your specific zip code.
What Happens Next?
The smoke won't last forever, but it might be a recurring theme for the next few weeks. We are in a "Level 2" preparedness state, which means fire crews are on high alert.
If you see a column of smoke and you’re worried, don't just ignore it. You can check the Florida Forest Service's active fire map or contact your local non-emergency line to see if there's a sanctioned burn in your area. Most of the time, if the smoke is a steady, light grey and moving in a predictable direction, it’s a controlled operation.
To stay safe and keep your home protected during this dry start to 2026, you should clear your gutters of pine needles and dry leaves immediately. This prevents "ember cast"—where wind-blown sparks from a distant fire land in your gutters and start a house fire. Also, pay attention to those local burn bans. If your county says no backyard fire pits, they mean it. The ground is ready to go up in flames with just one stray spark.
Monitor the weather for shifting winds. A wind shift from the south can clear out Central Florida smoke in an hour, but it might send that same haze right into the faces of people in Jacksonville. Stay informed, keep your inhaler handy if you need one, and maybe skip the morning jog until the inversion lifts.