I do recall seeing the reports of fires in the everglades in the past week on the news. I remember seeing planes with red tails in the mountains of CA fighting fires. I know it has been unusually dry throughout much of FL this summer.
Here's a few more examples, I'm not sure they quite fit the original account by JJ though.
3,117 posted on 07/16/2004 8:46:41 AM PDT by nwctwx