Name: Wildfire in Florida, May 22 to 29, 2019
Start: 2019-05-22T14:45
End: 2019-05-29T18:31
Location: Florida

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS JAX wrote it up.

Wildfire potential was elevated across portions of SE GA and NE FL due to recent rainfall deficits and low ground moisture. Record high temperatures and an extended period of low afternoon humidity created an elevated fire danger despite not meeting locally defined Red Flag Conditions. Isolated storms created lightning start fires, including the Perimeter Fire.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Jacksonville, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 22, 8:18 AM EST, 6 hours 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 22, 8:18 AM EST, 6 hours 27 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Jacksonville FL
918 AM EDT Wed May 22 2019

...BREEZY ONSHORE WINDS DEVELOP AT COASTAL LOCATIONS THIS AFTERNOON...
...RECORD HEAT AND DRY WEATHER THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND...

.UPDATE...
Weak Trof extending from North-South across inland SE GA is
drifting Westward this morning and is triggering a few isolated
showers that will dissipate by lunchtime, otherwise High Pressure
will build down the SE US coastline into the region and provide
for an enhanced breezy Easterly flow at the coast that will help
to push the Atlc Coast Sea Breeze rapidly inland this afternoon. A
few light showers/sprinkles will be possible as it moves inland
otherwise rain chances along the sea breeze will be less than 10%,
further inland along the I-75 corridor some lingering moisture
with Precipitable Water Amounts (PWATs) close to 1.4" may still be
enough to trigger an isolated storm over the Suwannee River Valley
in the vicinity of Live Oak/Lake City briefly during the mid-late
afternoon hours. Highs will be in the mid 80s at the coast before
the development of the sea breeze, while near 90 temps expected
along the I-95 corridor, then widespread lower to middle 90s over
inland areas. Heat Indices topping out in the 95-100 degree range
this afternoon. Fair skies expected tonight as the low level E-SE
flow will provide enough low level moisture for some low clouds
and patchy fog across inland SE GA, otherwise Min Temps in the
mid/upper 60s inland and lower/middle 70s along the coast.

&&

.AVIATION...
VFR with increasing East Winds to 10-14 knots this afternoon.
Continued VFR tonight with low chances of MVFR Fog at VQQ.

&&

.MARINE...
Light South Winds will become East this afternoon as High Pressure
Ridge builds down the SE US coastline and into the waters with
speeds increasing close to 15 knots and seas 2-4 ft. Onshore flow
continues into Thursday with seas into the 3-5 ft range.

Rip Currents: Moderate Risk in the developing Easterly Flow today
with surf/breakers pushing back into the 2-3 ft range.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
AMG  96  68  94  67 /  20   0   0   0
SSI  85  75  84  71 /   0   0  10   0
JAX  91  70  89  67 /   0   0   0   0
SGJ  86  72  84  68 /   0   0  10   0
GNV  94  67  92  65 /   0   0   0   0
OCF  94  66  92  65 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.JAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...None.
GA...None.
AM...None.
&&

Hess/Cordero

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Coastal Duval

When: May 22, 2:45 PM EST to May 29, 6:31 PM EST
Where: Coastal Duval forecast zone
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 30.335, -81.648 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two wildfires started along U.S. Highway 17 near the Nassau River off of Yellow Bluff Road. On May 22 around 345 pm, one fire was 100% contained with only 25% on the larger southernmost fire which was estimated at 150 acres just north of Yellow Bluff Road. The Yellow Bluff fire spread northwest and portions of Interstate 95 between Interstate 95 near mile marker 368. The right northbound lane of I-95 was closed due to the proximity of the wildfire. At 3:28 pm on 5/23, the Yellow Bluff fire was about 400 acres. Both lanes of I-95 were closed between mile markers 366 and 373 due to the proximity of the fire and smoke blowing over the interstate. The fire did spot on the west side of I-95 Florida Highway Partrol. Around 213 pm on 5/24, the fire was up to 600 acres in size and was about 30% contained. All lanes of Interstate 95 were re-opened except of the right northbound lane for fire emergency vehicle staging. Around 7:30 pm on 5/29, the fire was about 80% contained and was about 604 acres and holding with minimal smoke impacts to Interstate 95.

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Florida in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, May 2019

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 819128.