In 1998, Volusia and Flagler were burning. A look at those historic wildfires.

With 18 active wildfires ablaze in Volusia County, Florida Forest Service officials say the largest, along the boundary of Tiger Bay State Forest, is 90% contained, but at the same time has grown to cover 3,211 acres as of Friday.

Forest Service officials also are urging residents to review guidelines for being wildfire ready, preparations that include creating defensible space around homes, safely burning yard waste, utilizing prescribed burning and reporting a potential wildfire or suspicious arson activity.

In case you missed it: Wildfire safety: How to be prepared in Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach

That advice isn’t likely to be taken lightly by longtime residents who endured the fiery summer of 1998 when Volusia and Flagler counties burned for six hellish weeks that ravaged a combined 234,000 acres and consumed homes and businesses.

For relative newcomers, unfamiliar with a wildfire’s potential for destruction, here’s what you need to know about the historic wildfires of 1998.

How long did the1998 wildfires burn in Volusia and Flagler counties?

The wildfires blazed during a six-week period from May 30 to July 10, 1998.

How widespread were the 1998 wildfires?

The fires covered a combined 234,114 acres in Volusia and Flagler counties that included 146,475 acres in Volusia and 87,639 acres in Flagler. Statewide, 499,265 acres were burned as a result of 2,200 fires.

How catastrophic was the impact of the 1998 wildfires?

Because of the fires, Flagler County was the first in Florida’s history to face a countywide evacuation order. In Volusia County, the iconic July 4th NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway was postponed until October.

At one point that summer, fires were reported in every single one of Florida’s 67 counties. I-95 was closed from Brevard County to Jacksonville. Roads were closed going into Ormond Beach and evacuations were in place in neighborhoods across Volusia and Flagler counties.

How many structures were destroyed in the 1998 wildfires?

In Flagler County, 67 homes were destroyed. In Volusia, 13 homes, businesses and hunting camp also were destroyed by the fires.

What were the initial damage estimates?

In Flagler County, damage from the wildfires was estimated at $5.8 million. In Volusia, the damage was estimated at $2.1 million.

What factors contributed to the destructive 1998 wildfires?

One of the worst fire seasons in the state's history started with an abrupt climate shift in March 1998.

After a wet winter, the rain suddenly stopped. By the time the fires began in late May, rainfall in Daytona Beach was nearly 5 inches below normal, with only .3 inches of rain in April and May.

An in-depth look at 1998 wildfires: The summer of fire

In June, temperatures climbed. The mercury hit 100 degrees or more five days in a row the first week of June, and broke records six times between May 21 and July 1.  Only .83 inches of rain fell in Daytona Beach in June, again 5 inches below normal.

As the rainfall deficit climbed, afternoon lightning storms began, sparking dozens of fires in parched and drying woods.

A firestorm ignited in Volusia and Flagler counties, where evacuations became a daily routine. The biggest exodus happened on July 3, when a countywide evacuation order in Flagler County forced more than 45,000 people to flee the raging flames.

How many firefighters battled the 1998 wildfires?

An estimated 10,000 firefighters from 43 states were working to battle fires in the two counties, according to Florida Fire Service officials at the time.

What lessons were learned from battling the 1998 wildfires?

In the more than two decades since the 1998 wildfires, state and local officials have been much more diligent about conducting controlled burns to clear dried underbrush and make it less likely that lightning-sparked wildfires will reach the intensity to threaten homes.

State and local agencies also have worked to formalize interagency coordination, drafting mutual-aid agreements and standardizing communications equipment so firefighters from different agencies can more easily talk with each other.

State and local governments have invested in more heavy equipment, including helicopters and bulldozers. Local officials also communicate through smartphones and social media about shifting threats, a change that also has been beneficial during responses to hurricanes and tropical storms.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Wildfires of 1998: What you need to know about Volusia, Flagler impact