SOUTH MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Fire crews continue to battle a brush fire that broke out in South Miami-Dade.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue helicopters flew over the fire dropping buckets of water onto the flames that burn near Card Sound Road and Southwest 392nd Street.
As of Friday night, the flames have burned 400 acres and are 50% contained.
“They’ve been able to work the fire actively and aggressively as possible,” said Florida Forest Service spokesperson Michelle Danielson.
Officials said the flames caused intermittent closures of key roadways throughout the day.
But since 6 p.m., Friday, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies announced that all lanes of U.S 1 and Card Sound Road were open.
The on-and-off shuttering of the roads since late Thursday night caused a traffic nightmare for many drivers. Some drivers were forced to wait it out in strip mall parking lots until it was clear to drive.
“I’m trying to see if I can make it to work,” said driver Frenty Delsy.
Some weekend drivers are unable to get through ahead of a busy Mother’s Day weekend.
“It’s unfortunate for all the locals, to be quite honest with you, and the business owners. I own a property in Key Largo, and I have to actually go because it’s an Airbnb,” said driver Liza Diepa.
But a few hours later, the ride was right as 7News cameras captured cars freely entering and leaving Card Sound Road as firefighters were getting the upper hand on the fire.
Some drivers said the traffic and road closures remind them of the fire that broke out in March around the same area.
That fire was a nearly 30,000-acre blaze.
Officials said this time the fire is much smaller because the last fire left behind a lot of dry area.
“There’s a lot of dead wood, dry grass, areas that didn’t burn from the last fire approximately a couple of weeks ago,” said MDFR Fire Chief Ray Jadallah.
All of those things give fuel for this fire to possibly feed on and continue growing and burning.
Firefighters were seen on the ground grabbing their water hoses to stop hotspots from getting any bigger. They are monitoring wind patterns, hoping it won’t push the flames and smoke further north.
“There are some challenges trying to access this area, but with the various helicopters conducting the water drops, we’re been getting an upper hand on the fire,” said Jadallah.
No homes are threatened by the fire, and no injures have been reported.
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