Air-quality alert for Broward issued due to Everglades fires. Smoke moving east
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Everglades blaze rages over 45,000 acres, becoming 2025’s largest wildfire in Florida
On Aug. 20, two Broward County grass fires out in the Florida Everglades combined, continuing to grow into an over 42,000 acre blaze. The Florida Forest Service has battled the separate fires since they first began, on Aug. 18, and their combined eventual growth.
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The National Weather Service issued an air-quality alert for all of Broward County starting Wednesday evening and continuing through Thursday morning due to two large wildfires burning in the Everglades.
The alert, issued around noon Wednesday, will go into effect at 10 p.m. and run through 9 a.m. Thursday, the Miami weather service said, as smoke is expected to drift eastward overnight as the winds lessen.
The Mile Marker 39 Fire is now covering 1,600 acres, and the Sawgrass Fire is at 250 acres, the National Weather Service Miami reported Wednesday. Both fires were 0% contained as of Wednesday morning, according to the Florida Forest Service.
READ MORE: Wildfires in Everglades spreads to more than 1,800 acres, smoke affecting Broward
Many Broward residents have called 911 to report the smell of smoke as far as the eastern part of the county, according to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue.
Here are steps to take to limit your risk of smoke inhalation:
The National Weather Service recommends that vulnerable populations, including people with respiratory conditions, limit their time outdoors. Officials are urging the public to track local air quality through the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow website, which provides updated data in real time.
As of Wednesday morning, the air quality in much of Broward was listed as moderate, according to AirNow. During the early-morning hours, the air quality in the county was considered unhealthy.
Officials are also warning commuters to be extra cautious while driving as smoke could impair their visibility of the roadways. Drivers should use their car’s air conditioning on recirculate.
This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 12:36 PM.
