Florida News

Fire crews addressed an eight-acre fire in Orlando. The Orlando Fire Department responded to a fire on the 5500 block of Arnold Palmer Drive around 6 a.m., Feb. 23. Around 11 a.m., the fire had spread to eight acres and was 80% contained, the fire department confirmed. No structures were in danger.

FOX 35 meteorologist Noah Bergren explains why the potential for brush fires or wildfires is so high in Florida right now. It comes down to low humidity and strong winds. Several counties in Florida are under red flag warnings or fire warnings.

FOX 35 Orlando’s Baileigh Bockover reports on the new drone technology being introduced to help the Orlando Police Department enhance crime-fighting efforts and improve response times across the city.

FOX 35's Chancelor Winn provides tips on how to protect your home against brush fires.

FOX 35 Orlando’s Manny Martinez reports from Volusia County, where a brush fire in Daytona Beach is now 50% contained and residents are allowed to return home.

Brush fire in Daytona Beach forces residents in the Mosaic Subdivision to evacuate their homes, according to the Daytona Beach Fire Department.

A brush fire neared a Daytona Beach housing complex Monday evening, Feb. 23. The fire, which started at 20 to 25 acres Monday morning, grew to over 100 acres by the evening. 

Under a proposed legislation, Florida residents with homesteaded properties would no longer be required to pay property taxes. However, leaders in smaller municipalities, such as Indialantic, fear that the loss of property tax revenue would be devastating. Indialantic Mayor Mark McDermott warns that the town might not be able to fund its own police and fire departments if the bill becomes law.

A Brevard County mother is back behind bars after a near-fatal drowning involving her toddler. The incident raises questions about how she was granted unsupervised access to her children while still facing felony charges for a previous child abuse case. A judge, DCF and case manager all agreed the mother could have unsupervised access with her children.

The believed remains of a missing Palm Coast woman, Mary Lou Combs, were found in a body of water on Feb. 3. Combs was last seen on Aug. 19, 2003, leaving her home and was never found. Divers with the FBI helped locate her body less than a mile from her home. 

William Elwood Simmons, 80, was arrested on a first-degree murder charge after his wife, Nancy Lee Simmons, 83 – who was found unresponsive in the kitchen. When investigators asked Simmons if he knew what had happened, he responded saying, "I do know what happened, I did it," the affidavit said. 

Daytona Beach Fire Chief Dru Driscoll provides an update on the Bennett Field Fire burning near the Mosaic neighborhood, where 80 homes have been evacuated. 

The Orange County Sheriff's office responded to a Walmart on East Colonial Drive regarding reports of a man attempting to steal from the store. When deputies arrived, the man – later identified as Jason Anthony Beal, 48 – was walking out of the store wearing a ski mask and pushing a shopping cart full of merchandise, Sheriff John Mina said.  "The deputy gave the man numerous commands to stop. The man did not comply with those commands," the sheriff said. The deputy fired his taser, which didn't have any effect and, "shortly after that, the deputy could be heard saying, ‘Don’t reach, don't reach,' three times and then our deputy fires his service weapons at the suspect, striking him several times."

For the first time, ZIPAIR passengers touched down in Orlando from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. This charter service marks a special  historic partnership between ZIPAIR and Orlando International Airport.