WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Worsening drought conditions are causing concern for Palm Beach County leaders as fire danger increases and water shortage threats loom on the horizon. The severe conditions are impacting farmers throughout South Florida in multiple ways, from wildfire risk to potential water restrictions.
Jim Alderman, president of Alderman Farms, is experiencing the devastating effects firsthand. A three-day wildfire in Hendry County recently impacted his ranch, causing significant damage to his operations.
"It burned about 1,000 like the pasture, it burned my cow pens, it burned my feed storage facility, a real disaster," Alderman said.
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The drought has created extremely high fire risk conditions, with Lake Okeechobee water levels dropping to concerning lows. Alderman fears the situation will only get worse before it improves.
"Historically, we don't start getting rain in South Florida 'till about May 15 so we got about 90 days of severe drought and I can't imagine how bad it's going to be," Alderman said.
He warns that what happened in Hendry County could easily happen at farms in Palm Beach County.
"The whole South Florida is a powder keg and it's just waiting for a lightning storm to start and you'll have wildfire breaking out all over," Alderman said.
Palm Beach County leaders are already warning residents about possible water restrictions.
"There’s a 25% chance the lake could enter the Water Shortage Management Band, prompting the South Florida Water Management District to consider mandatory water restrictions," Palm Beach County Commissioner Gregg Weiss said in a Facebook post on Friday.
For agricultural operations like Alderman's, any water restrictions would be particularly challenging this time of year.
"It's in the height of our growing season. And after the freeze that we survived last week, if we end up with a drought, then there's no water to irrigate or vegetables, then it's going to be a real disaster," Alderman said.
If water becomes limited, farmers will face difficult choices about which crops to prioritize and which to sacrifice.
"We're gonna have to, you know, adapt," Alderman said. "Try to save a percentage of it, and you're gonna lose a lot."
For now, the agricultural community is left waiting for rain to return and provide relief from the dangerous drought conditions.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalist to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
