TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Across the state of Florida, 1,900 wildfires have occurred this year alone. With the wet weather we're seeing now, experts say this is a good time to prepare before the area dries up again.
"Now's the time to get your property and your home in order because it's wet," says Todd Schroeder.
Todd Schroeder is a Wildfire Mitigation Specialist in North Florida.
He told ABC 27 this year alone, between the Chipola and Tallahassee districts there have been over 200 wildfires.
Schroeder added though some fires start with natural causes, 9 out of 10 fires are caused by humans.
"Somebody's out burning, and a gust of wind comes up or they're not paying attention, that's the way that a human caused fire could start. From escaped debris burning," says Schroeder.
One reason Tallahassee Fire Spokesman Todd Inserra says you need to think ahead.
"You want to make sure that you keep a water source nearby if you are doing things like grilling, if you are legally burning anything," says Todd Inserra.
On top of that, dried debris left behind by a storm can ignite after drying out.
That's why It is important to maintain a clear space around your home.
"Keeping your gutters clear, if you have branches that are dead that are over your house get rid of those now because it's wet. We're less likely to have a fire right now and this is a good time to prepare for when dry times come again," says Schroeder.
When it comes to creating space around your home experts say 30 feet between your house and any debris that could burn is a good rule of thumb.
