Live updates: U.S. 1, Card Sound Road both fully open; brush fire 50% contained

Here’s the latest on the South Miami-Dade brush fires on Friday. This report will be updated throughout the day.

Here is what you need to know:

▪ U.S. 1 and Card Sound Road are fully reopen.

▪ The Homestead NASCAR races scheduled for this weekend will proceed as scheduled.

Firefighters contain 50% of brush fire

On Friday night, the Florida Forestry Service said the brush fire had grown to 26,437 acres, but the blaze had been 50% contained.

U.S 1, Card Sound Road reopen

Around 8 p.m. Friday, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office announced Card Sound Road and U.S. 1 had reopened in both directions — marking the first time the only two routes into the Florida Keys were safe to travel on since the brush fire escalated Tuesday.

Officials have warned that intermittent closures may still occur.

Safety tips for you, your pets

Miami-Dade County Department of Emergency Management is advising the following:

▪ Avoid the area if possible and respect road closures.

▪ Stay indoors and keep windows closed if smoke is present, especially for those with respiratory conditions.

▪ Avoid driving in smoke-filled areas; use “recirculate” mode in your vehicle if necessary.

▪ Keep pets indoors to protect them from smoke exposure.

▪ Follow evacuation orders if issued.

▪ Keep drones away from wildfire areas, as they can interfere with firefighting efforts.

Plane crew from Tennessee

First responders have deployed five helicopters from the Florida Forestry Service and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, along with an additional support plane from Tennessee.

Miami-Dade’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources is also monitoring air quality.

“I am thankful for our heroic first responders who are working around the clock to contain the fires and ensure the safety of our residents and commuters on the road, and to all state and local agencies for the close coordination on our response efforts,” Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. “We continue to advise our residents that live or commute close to the area, especially those with respiratory conditions, to take precautions and limit exposure.”

No Miami-Dade school closures

Miami-Dade Public Schools is monitoring the fire and following directions from local authorities, but there have been no school closures.

“As a precaution, we are ensuring that schools in the Homestead/Florida City area remain well-ventilated and that students stay indoors if air quality conditions worsen,” the district said in a statement.

Fire flares up by Speedway

On Friday, an area of Homestead firefighters tamped down the day before flared up again.

Along Southwest 344th Street, about a mile from Homestead Speedway, helicopters dumped water on flames consuming dry brush all along the road.

At the same time, firefighters sprayed water on the trees butting against power lines, but arid, windy conditions made the blaze even more stubborn.

“The problem is, all this dried out from last night, and it’s all start to burn again,” said the firefighter, who did not want to be named.

READ MORE: Fire spreads to Homestead, as 20,000-plus acres burn. No threat to neighborhoods: authorities

FPL’s Turkey Point unaffected

As the more than 25,000-acre fire continued to burn through southeast Miami-Dade, the smoke was drifting over the county’s largest power plant, Florida Power & Light’s Turkey Point facility.

But on Friday afternoon, firefighters were keeping the flames clear of the massive facility.

“The power-generating facilities at Turkey Point continue to operate safely. At this time, the brush fire is not directly impacting the site. We are in constant contact with first responders, and we will continue to monitor the situation,” said FPL spokesperson Bill Orlove.

--Alex Harris

READ MORE: Can you enter or leave the Keys as wildfires close roads? Get to car race? What to know

Traffic leaving Keys crawls

On Friday afternoon, traffic heading into the Keys on the 18 Mile Stretch of U.S. 1 flowed relatively smoothly.

But northbound traffic exiting the island chain crawled, particularly around Mile Marker 123 near the Dade Correctional Institution. Thick clouds of smoke could be seen from the fires around Card Sound Road, the only other road in and out of the Keys besides U.S. 1. Card Sound Road has been closed since Tuesday.

And signs of the fire were everywhere: scorched grass, downed power lines and firefighters tamping down the fires along the Stretch.

Do not call 911 for fire updates: MDFR

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office sent out an alert via X, asking the public to not call 911 for information on road closures and fire updates.

“As our firefighters continue working to contain the brush fire in southeast Miami-Dade (), we remind you that 911 is for emergencies ONLY,” MDFR wrote.

Instead, they ask for people to monitor the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office’s for updates and visit .

Homestead NASCAR races still on

Despite the heavy smoke, traffic and potential power outages, the city of Homestead and NASCAR are not letting the massive brush fire in South Miami-Dade hinder the races this weekend.

READ MORE: It’s a NASCAR Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Yes, they know it’s only March

As of 10:20 a.m. Friday, a NASCAR spokesperson said there was no change in any NASCAR events at Homestead-Miami Speedway, including Friday afternoon’s Craftsman Truck Series qualifying and Friday night’s Baptist Health 200 truck race.

“We are pleased to announce that the races scheduled for this weekend at the Homestead Miami Speedway will proceed as planned with no interruption but stay tuned for updates,” Homestead Mayor Steven Losner said in a video posted to X.

Fire weather watch: NWS

A fire weather watch is in effect Friday morning in South Florida as fire crews continue to battle the South Miami-Dade brush fire that has consumed 25,000 acres of land and is 30% contained.

Unlike the red flag warnings issued on Monday and Thursday, which signal that dangerous weather conditions are already present, the watch serves as an early warning for imminent weather changes that could intensify the situation, according to the National Weather Service.

READ MORE: Fire alert issued — third this week — for South Florida as huge brush fire grows: NWS

The watch started at 10 a.m. and is in effect for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

This alert indicates that conditions—strong winds (10–15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph), low humidity (around 20%), and high temperatures (mid to upper 70s)—are likely to develop, potentially fueling the fire further.

The fires began over a week ago, then grew and intensified due to dry air and high winds.

U.S 1 open, Card Sound Road closed

Miami-Dade County Emergency Management sent an alert that the 18-mile stretch of U.S. 1 was open as of 7:45 a.m. Friday. But the agency warned that the road is subject to close. U.S. 1 has been closed intermittently during the fires.

Card Sound Road, the 20-plus mile road between Florida City and Key Largo, has been closed since Tuesday. The fire began around Card Sound Road.

U.S. 1 and Card Sound Road are the only two roads in and out of the Florida Keys. Drivers wanting to get into the Keys or leave the Keys have been stranded and parking along the rights-of-way and road shoulders.

Drivers should stay alert and check for any changes in traffic before heading out.

This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 9:16 AM.