Polk County Battles Over 30 Brush Fires Amid Drought and Burn Ban

Largest fire burns 400 acres near State Road 60 as officials urge residents to follow burn ban

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Polk County Fire Rescue crews responded to more than 30 brush fires across the county on Sunday as dry conditions and high winds fueled the flames, despite a countywide burn ban. The largest fire burned over 400 acres near State Road 60 in the River Ranch area, though no evacuations or structure damage was reported. Crews also battled a separate 68-acre brush fire off Osceola Polk Line Road, with assistance from neighboring fire departments.

Why it matters

The extreme drought conditions and lack of rainfall in Polk County have created a dangerous fire risk, leading officials to enact a burn ban. However, some residents have continued to disregard the ban, sparking the rash of brush fires that have strained local firefighting resources.

The details

Polk County Fire Rescue Chief Shawn Smith said the largest fire burned more than 400 acres near State Road 60 in the River Ranch area, with an unknown number of camps burned but no homes or structures affected. Crews also battled a two-alarm brush fire off Osceola Polk Line Road in the Davenport area that burned roughly 68 acres and damaged four non-dwelling structures. No injuries were reported in the fires.

  • On Sunday, Polk County Fire Rescue crews responded to over 30 brush fires across the county.
  • The largest fire near State Road 60 was reported around 9 p.m. on Sunday.
  • The fire off Osceola Polk Line Road in Davenport was also battled on Sunday.

The players

Polk County Fire Rescue

The fire department that responded to and battled the multiple brush fires across the county on Sunday.

Shawn Smith

The Polk County Fire Rescue Chief who urged residents to follow the countywide burn ban due to extreme drought conditions.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It seems that brush fires have been a constant issue throughout the day today. I just want to remind everybody that there are serious drought conditions in Polk County. These illegal recreational fires need to cease.”

— Shawn Smith, Polk County Fire Rescue Chief (clickorlando.com)

What’s next

The Florida Forest Service planned to monitor the largest fire near State Road 60 throughout the night.

The takeaway

The rash of brush fires in Polk County underscores the critical need for residents to heed burn bans and fire safety warnings during periods of extreme drought, as even small recreational fires can quickly spiral out of control and overwhelm local firefighting resources.