PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. (WSVN) - Crews are battling two separate wildfires burning inches from the Florida Everglades in Collier County, and many in South Florida are feeling the smoky effects of the blaze.
Meteorologists are calling the fires “Grand Fire” and “National Fire” as they continue burning within the Big Cypress National Preserve.
The blaze is chewing through dried brush near State Road 29 and shows no signs of containment.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the “Grand Fire” had burned under five acres while the “National Fire” had burned 25,000 acres, according to officials.
Chase Allbritton, a hurricane chaser, shared drone video that he recorded of the fire with 7News.
“It wasn’t just dry, it was fairly windy, which is what has allowed the fire to spread. But even today, though, it’s not as windy; it’s very dry, and it’s allowing it to spread still today,” said Allbritton.
Forecasters said the smoke from the double fires could eventually reduce visibility along Alligator Alley and Tamiami Trail. Some of that smoke has already moved into parts of Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag warning for metro Broward County on several social media platforms to warn nearby residents.
Meanwhile, a slight haze was spotted over downtown Fort Lauderdale, likely from another fire burning in Palm Beach County.
As for the wildfires in Collier County, crews are conducting water drops and aggressively fighting the blaze. Fortunately, no communities are threatened.
But experts say the continued drought across Florida is not helping their wildfire fight.
“I’ve noticed that some of the actual large trees, like the Cypress trees, the flames will grow up it, and as it grows, the wind will be able to carry those embers to a pretty great distance, and it could start little other fires around it,” said Allbritton.
The drought is also making life difficult in the Everglades. Some airboat channels have run dry.
“The landscape is already dry, beginning to crack and the wildlife has migrated to the last remaining ponding areas which is where we would typically offer our airboat tours,” said Marshall Jones, owner of Mack’s Fish Camp.
So far this calendar year, Miami-Dade and Broward have been spared from brush fires. Last year, various fires sent plumes of smoke over populated areas.
But doctors say with fires burning across the west coast, those with allergies and respiratory conditions should begin taking precautionary measures.
“If you’re smelling anything, especially if you are sensitive to it, you have asthma, lung problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, then the first thing is to get out of the environment. Don’t want to be exercising or anything like that when you’re smelling the smoke, especially if you have some underlying conditions,” said Dr. Adam Rubin at Memorial Regional Emergency Department.
Officials are warning residents across Florida to be careful about things like throwing out cigarette butts or other ignition sources that may cause a fire.
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