Updated April 21, 2026, 8:10 p.m. ET
- A smoky haze over Tallahassee is caused by a large wildfire in Georgia, not local fires.
- Air quality in Tallahassee is moderate, but other areas like Gainesville are unhealthy for sensitive groups.
- These tools will help you track the latest wildfires, smoke trajectory and air quality.
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Where there’s smoke there’s fire. And as the sun began to set on Tallahassee on Tuesday, a yellowy haze clung to the city.
As the state and region endure tinderbox conditions while in the grips of a historic drought, wildfires are raging across Florida.
In Tallahassee, there are no current wildfires, but firefighters took on two residential blazes on April 21 and warned residents that even small sparks can quickly spread. With ongoing dry conditions and an elevated risk of fire danger, residents are reminded to avoid outdoor burning, keep vehicles off dry grass and properly dispose of smoking materials.
The nearest significant wildfire to Leon County, which is one of 37 of Florida’s 67 counties under a burn ban, is the Mill Pond blaze in Liberty County. First discovered on March 19, the fire has consumed 1,754 acres and is 70 percent contained.
But that’s not the source of the smoke in Florida’s capital city, according to NOAA and The Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Service (WFIGS). An interactive wildfire and smoke tracker that can be bookmarked on data.tallahassee.com/fires/ shows smoke blowing in from the east from the Pineland Road fire in Georgia, 13 miles northwest from Fargo, Ga. The fire, which ignited on April 18, has burned 8,911 acres and is 10% contained.
As the smokey haze hangs over downtown, air quality in Tallahassee is currently listed as moderate.
“Be ready for air quality to go downhill this evening,” the National Weather Service in Tallahassee wrote on X, while warning of wildfire smoke “overspreading parts of the region.” Keep your windows closed and turn on any filtration you may have.”
Below are tools to track wildfires, smoke, air quality and drought conditions in Florida.
Map shows location of active wildfires, smoke impacts across Florida
Smoke affecting air quality in some Florida counties
According to the EPA, the air quality in the Gainesville area is unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Elsewhere, air quality ranges from good to moderate.
➤ See breakdown of air quality by Florida county
How do I protect myself when air quality is bad or if I have breathing problems?
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, here’s what you can do to protect yourself if you have breathing problems or the air quality is bad where you live:
If you are at home:
- Close all doors and windows.
- If you are running your window air conditioner, set it to recirculation so it stops pulling air from outside. Regularly change your filter to help pull any pollutants out of the indoor air.
- Consider purchasing an air purifier with a HEPA filter if you live in an area with frequent air quality problems, especially if you live with someone who is particularly vulnerable to air pollution.
If you have to go outdoors:
- Regularly check for air quality updates.
- Limit time outside as much as possible.
- Wear an N95 mask to filter out particulate matter when you are outside.
- Change out of your outdoor clothes as soon as you get home, since particulates can infiltrate the fabric and then later be inhaled.
Current drought conditions in Florida
The U.S. Drought Monitor on April 14 (the latest date with data available) provided the following breakdown on how bad the drought is in Florida:
➤ Strict water use rules sweep the nation ahead of summer
Red flag warnings, fire weather watches issued for most of Florida
Red flag warnings have been issued for 32 of Florida’s 67 counties, and fire weather watches have been issued for 11 counties.
Interactive map: Enter your address to find closest wildfire risks
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