Wildfires in Florida after dry winter and spring lead to drought across US

Much of the US is battling a widespread drought after a very dry winter and start to spring. South-eastern areas, in particular the states of Florida and Georgia, are experiencing some of the worst of this prolonged bout of dry weather, with calls for the risk to be labelled a level 4 “exceptional” drought in the region, the most severe category. In recent days, strong winds and low humidity conditions have brought an increased fire risk. These ingredients combined with such unusually dry ground have led to multiple large wildfires, particularly across Florida, a state known for its wetlands and everglades.

A fire broke out early on Tuesday morning in Broward County, Florida, just north-west of Fort Lauderdale, scorching an area of more than 9,200 acres as of Thursday afternoon. The National Guard helped Broward Sherriff Fire Rescue tackle the blaze, which has since been brought to 50% containment. Residents nearby and farther west have been warned of reduced air quality as a result of travelling smoke. Fires have been breaking out elsewhere, with multiple active blazes across northern Florida, Georgia and into Alabama. Abnormally dry weather is set to continue over the next few weeks before the arrival of the rainy season, usually around June, with the drought and fire risk set to last.

In parts of India, a heatwave is anticipated over the coming days as high pressure sits over the north of the country. April to June are considered summer months in northern India, before the onset of monsoon season from July, so while daytime temperatures of about 40C are not uncommon for some areas, the mercury is set to rise closer to 45C over the weekend and the start of next week. States such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are all expected to have temperatures above 40C for multiple days, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a heatwave alert for the regions. Some forecasts extend the extreme heat into the first week of May, which would raise health concerns for millions of people.