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Huge Blaze in Florida Everglades
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by Jordan Yerman | May 18, 2008 at 05:16 pm
1108 views | 22 Recommendations | 11 comments
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The smoke cast a haze over parts of South Florida, including Miami, prompting a dense smoke advisory from the National Weather Service.
The fire, which threatened private property as well as an endangered bird, started Friday, the Southern Area InterAgency Management Blue Team said.
By Sunday morning it was 20 percent contained, and fire crews were working to restrict it to the park while protecting the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, a federally protected species whose only habitat is in the Everglades.
Southwest winds are currently blowing a plume of smoke from the Everglades at 10 to 15 mph, said Weather Service Specialist Bob Ebaugh. The winds are expected to blow smoke from wildfires in southwest Miami-Dade, into Miami and Fort Lauderdale's populated areas in the east through Tuesday.
Continuing to burn are the Mustang Corner fire -- south of Tamiami Trail and west of Krome Avenue -- in Miami-Dade County and a blaze near the South Florida Reception Center jail at Northwest 41st Street and Florida's Turnpike, also in Miami-Dade, said Senior Ranger Gabriel Llamas, of the Florida Division of Forestry's Broward/Dade forest area.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (11)
at 10:17 on May 18th, 2008
This is a developing story, and will now show up on the home page for four hours. If new developments justify it, I'll renew this flag for another cycle.
at 12:49 on May 18th, 2008
As a resident of this area I can say that today was not as bad as the past few days. The wind, which had been coming from the West, has died down considerably. The smell of smoke has diminished and ashes are not falling as they were the past few days.
Over the past 2 weeks we have had record temperatures several days. We desperately need rain. Dry spring weather can sometimes be a bad omen as far as hurricane activity.
People with respiratory problems are advised to stay indoors.
at 11:59 on May 18th, 2008
jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 13:29 on May 18th, 2008
jordan, I like this story. If you have been to the everglades it is very difficult to conatin a fire there. Only real way is by air dumps. Depending on where the fire is it is not practicial to fight a fire.
Florida is overwhelmed rigjt now with various fires throughout the state. My family has fires to the south and north in Brevard.
at 06:22 on May 19th, 2008
jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.Thanks for covering this story. At the present time, WPLG 10 [an ABC Affiliate in Miami Florida] has reported that we in the Miami Dade and Broward Area are under a dense smoke advisory secondary to fires in the Okeechobee Area. I have to confess that we have not felt much smoke but I have felt the after effects with headaches and a cold.
SOURCE:
Local10.com: "Dense Smoke Advisory Continues for South Florida"
http://www.local10.com/weather/16324525/detail.html
at 08:00 on May 19th, 2008
jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 08:01 on May 19th, 2008
Anyone know the cause?
at 11:50 on May 19th, 2008
We have been experiencing heavy rains but it has not dampened the fires. In fact, a Dense Smoke Advisory continues for South Florida and the Florida Department of Forestry has asked the Everglades Correctional Institute and the Krome Detention Center to evacuate their inmates.
SOURCE:
Local10.com News: "Correctional Facilities Asked to Evacuate for Wildfires" May 19,2008@3:11PM
http://www.local10.com/weather/16324525/detail.html
at 06:37 on May 20th, 2008
I saw WSVN 7 News on the 19th of May 2008 at 10:00PM. There is an advisory for smoke on the 20th of May 2008 until 10:00AM in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. WSVN 7 also predicted a heavy rainfall today [20th of May 2008]. It is hoped that the rainfall would help put out the fire. Everglades Correctional Institute and Krome Detention Center have been evacuated.The habitat of the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow [an endangered bird] is being threatened by the fires.According to Jerry La Cavera of the Florida Department of Forestry, more than 78,000 acres of land have burned in Florida.
SOURCE:
nbc6.net: "Smoke Blankets S. Florida As Everglade Fires Continue To Rage"
http://www.nbc6.net/news/16336851/detail.html?dl=headlineclick
at 09:17 on May 23rd, 2008
Late at night, the power in my street went out, and I was able to capture the glow of the brushfires in the Everglades.
ftogrf50 has contributed a photo to this story.