Florida, 2020Wildfire in Florida, April 3, 2020
April 3, 2020 · NWS TBW · 1 event in 1 county or zone
A small wildfire started near the Southwest Florida International Airport, and spread to a grassy rental car overflow lot. The fire destroyed 3516 vehicles before being extinguished.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $100 million
- 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.
A small wildfire started near the Southwest Florida International Airport, and spread to a grassy rental car overflow lot. The fire destroyed 3516 vehicles before being extinguished.
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 Tampa Bay, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 3, 12:29 PM EST, 4 hours 31 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 3, 12:29 PM EST, 4 hours 31 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tampa Bay Ruskin FL
129 PM EDT Fri Apr 3 2020
.DISCUSSION...
Moisture and warmer temperatures return to the area early next
week, with the GFS advertising PWATS as high as 2.0 inches. Even
if that is a bit aggressive I think scattered showers and
thunderstorms is a good bet for Sunday through Tuesday. Starting
Wednesday the chance of rain should be more focused on the north
and interior ahead of a series of very weak fronts. I will up pops
a bit above the NBM guidance but no where near as high as the 06z
and 12z MEX or 00z ECX to at least show a trend.
Otherwise the deep layer ridge over the GOM will build north then
flatten out to a more zonal flow. That translates to warm
temperatures through the period. The surface pressure pattern
will be generally weak with mostly weak high pressure over the
area with a series of weak and dying troughs affecting us towards
the end of the week.
&&
.AVIATION...
We are expecting light winds and VFR conditions the next 30
hours.
&&
.MARINE...
Winds increase early in the week, way below advisory criteria. By
mid week the winds veer to long fetch onshore. This will increase
seas some, but way below criteria. All in all it looks like very
nice boating weather.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Moisture is slowly increasing, still we will see patchy areas with
marginally low humidities today. Light winds will keep any
warnings at bay. Humidities increase a bit more on Saturday. and
early next week.
&&
.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
TPA 63 85 66 83 / 0 0 0 20
FMY 65 84 67 84 / 0 0 0 30
GIF 59 88 63 82 / 0 0 0 30
SRQ 64 83 66 82 / 0 0 0 20
BKV 56 86 60 84 / 0 0 0 30
SPG 65 84 67 83 / 0 0 0 20
&&
.TBW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...None.
Gulf waters...None.
&&
DISCUSSION/AVIATION/MARINE/FIRE WEATHER...04/Sobien
DECISION SUPPORT...25/Davis
Wildfire, Inland Lee
- When
- April 3, 5:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
- Where
- Inland Lee forecast zone
- Property damage
- $100 million
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 26.625, -81.849 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A small wildfire started near the Southwest Florida International Airport, and spread to a grassy rental car overflow lot. The fire destroyed 3516 vehicles before being extinguished, out of the more than 7300 vehicles present. Around 300 firefighters responded to the incident. No injuries were reported.
- 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.
- Avalanche in Idaho, April 3, 20201 death · 1 event
- Coastal Flood and High Wind in Massachusetts, April 3, 2020$22,000 · 50 kt wind · 12 events
- Coastal Flood in New Hampshire, April 3, 2020$25,000 · 1 event
- Extreme Cold in Wyoming, April 3, 202012 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Texas, April 3, 2020$10,000 · 1.75 in hail · 6 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, April 3, 2020$10,000 · 3 in hail · 5 events
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: 880097.