WEST BROWARD, FLA. (WSVN) - A brush fire battle raged on in the Florida Everglades, as crews in West Broward worked to contain the massive flames for a second day.
Late Wednesday morning, the Florida Forest Service said the blaze that sparked Tuesday afternoon off U.S. 27, near Mile Marker 44, is 75% contained and has burned more than 9,200 acres.
Video from 7Skyforce shows flames still active and smoke lingering over the area.
Tuesday night, 7News cameras captured a wall of smoke and flames flickering feet away from traffic, turning the drive into a front-row view of a wildfire.
Earlier on Tuesday a helicopter from the Florida National Guard was seen assisting crews as it dropped a bucket of water over the flames in an attempt to slow the spread.
On the ground, crews moved quickly, using heavy equipment to hold the line.
But even with all hands on deck, officials said this fight isn’t just about manpower but about the weather.
“Fortunately, we have east winds, and it’s pushing the fire away from [U.S.] 27, all the smoke away from town,” said Kevin MacEwen, the Florida Forest Service’s Everglades District Manager.
Those easterly winds are a saving grace for now, but this fire has already left its mark across the Everglades.
Still, officials said, there is no immediate danger to people or homes.
“There’s nothing really threatened out here; it’s actually good for the Everglades to burn, but we know that the smoke impacts, we don’t want it to affect the road or people’s health,” said MacEwen. “We can keep it in this box and let it burn. It’s good for the ecology, it’s good for the Everglades.”
While crews focus on containment, questions remain about how this fire even started.
“I would imagine it was something from a car, somebody threw a cigarette, a backfire, ’cause it obviously started off of [U.S.] 27 somehow, so we’re not really sure,” said MacEwen.
Whatever sparked the flames, officials urge drivers to stay alert, especially with dry conditions making it easy for flames to spread fast.
“Everyone be careful in this area, driving around [U.S.] 27 and anywhere right now. We still have probably six to eight weeks of really dry weather; the thunderstorms haven’t rolled in yet,” said MacEwen. “We have to be very diligent and be careful, whatever you’re doing.”
MacEwen added that despite the dry conditions, the wetness in the area makes it challenging for crews, who have to be selective on where to push back on the flames.
“It’s kind of hard to get out there even though it’s dry. We put our equipment out there, it’s still wet and it’s dangerous to operate in wet conditions in front of these fires, so we pick and choose our battles with the air assets and the ground resources to make the progress,” said MacEwen.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue crews are assisting Florida Forest Service in their efforts to contain this fire.
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