Firefighters doused a small brush fire in Stuart as wildfires continue to burn during extreme drought conditions across the Treasure Coast.
The half-acre fire was reported about 9:25 p.m. Feb. 26 in the wooded area behind car dealerships on the northwest corner of U.S. 1 and Southeast Pomeroy Street and contained by 10:30 p.m., said Florida Forest Service wildfire mitigation specialist David Grubich.
No structures were threatened, Grubich said — unlike other brush fires earlier in the week.
Wildfires: How to protect homes from wildfires as brush fires burn
Weather: Temperatures get back to normal, despite front this weekend
In St. Lucie County, he said, a 10-acre brush fire that started Feb. 25 in Savannas Preserve State Park east of Indian River Estates near Fort Pierce was fully contained by mid-day Feb. 26.
The fire came close to homes and properties, Grubich said, but firefighters were able to stop it effectively and prevent evacuations.
Southwest winds blew the fire toward the saltwater marsh and put itself half-out, he said, and firefighters worked to put out the other half.
Downed power lines ignited another small brush fire nearby about 9:15 a.m. Feb 27 in the 5500 block of Palmetto Drive, Grubich said, but it was contained quickly at 1/8-acre.
In Martin County, a 45-acre brush fire that started Feb. 25 by Southwest Fox Brown Road near Indiantown was fully contained about 3:30 p.m. Feb. 26, Grubich said. The fire burned in the woods, and no structures were threatened.
In Indian River County, a 192-acre brush fire that started Feb. 25 south of State Road 60 near Vero Beach was fully contained as of 9 a.m. Feb. 26, Grubich said. The fire burned grass, and no structures were threatened.
All causes were under investigation by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement.
“Everything is so dry,” Grubich said. “There’s a lot of different causes, and it’s all human-related.”
Typical causes for this time of the year — before storm season brings lightning — are caused by humans, whether by human activities or human infrastructure, Grubich said. That doesn’t mean intentional or arson.
Causes when conditions are this dry after frost and freezes could include chains dragging on the road, mower blades hitting a rock, people dumping out charcoal grills, power lines blowing together in the wind, exhaust coming from vehicles — even light refracting through glass bottles in yard trash, he said. Cigarettes are rare but also can be a cause when grass is easily ignited.
A half-acre brush fire was reported Feb. 26, 2026, at U.S. 1 and Southeast Pomeroy Street in Stuart.
Passing fronts brought a couple rounds of showers and storms to the area since mid-February, according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne, but rainfall has remained below normal.
Since Nov. 1, 2025, Vero Beach has received 1.93 inches of rainfall and Fort Pierce has received 1.94 inches, according to the National Weather Service. That’s 8.3 inches below normal in Vero Beach and 8.27 inches below normal in Fort Pierce.
An increase in rainfall was expected on the afternoon of Feb. 27 through Feb. 28, according to the National Weather Service, but no significant drought relief was expected.
The probability of specific amount ranges from a 45% chance for a quarter-inch of rain to a 5% chance for 1 inch of rain for the Treasure Coast, but any amount helps as the drought situations worsens.
Burn bans remain in effect across the Treasure Coast in response to extremely dry conditions and lack of rainfall.
The Florida Forest Service uses the Keetch-Byram drought index to estimate the dryness of the soil and duff layers. The index increases each day without rain and decreases when it rains. The scale ranges from 0 to 800, with 800 being the driest.
As of Feb. 27, the drought index in Martin and St. Lucie counties was high at 650 while Indian River County wasn’t far behind at 600.
Laurie K. Blandford is a breaking news reporter with TCPalm. Email her at laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Wildfire in Stuart, below normal rainfall in Vero Beach, Fort Pierce