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Wildfires Burn Florida, U.S. As Drought Continues
Dense smoke from wildfires blanketed parts of Florida state of the U.S. Sunday, threatening to close highways but posing little immediate risk to homes or businesses. "Right now, we're dealing with 15 large fires around the state," said Gene Madden, a state Division of Forestry spokesman. "Smoke is going to be an issue everywhere there's a fire until we get rains." The patchwork of blazes has been spurred by the state's worst drought on record. Alligator Alley, the section of Interstate 75 that crosses Florida through the Everglades from Fort Lauderdale to Naples, was reopened Sunday. Smoke from nearby fires had closed it for several hours Saturday.
By Sunday, a week-old blaze in the Big Cypress National Preserve, about 75 miles west of Miami beyond Everglades National Park, had charred 2,500 acres. The fire was only 25% contained, down from 30-35% the day before.
Smoky haze from that fire blew over greater Miami Friday, then helped shut down I-75 the next day. Another 3,000-acre fire in the region was 95% contained.
Near Walt Disney World, crews were still battling a 650-acre wildfire just two miles from the Disney resort. It was 50% contained, though still a threat to outbuildings such as sheds, barns or pump houses, Madden said.
All area theme parks remained open.
Since Jan. 1, Florida has had 2,679 wildfires, burning about 204,413 acres.
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