Brush fire burns nearly 400 acres, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions in West Miami-Dade
There is no end in sight for a raging brush fire in West Miami-Dade that has already consumed about 400 acres in just over 24 hours, according to the Florida Forest Service.
David Rosenbaum said Wednesday that forecasters are expecting the same weather pattern of high winds and dry conditions — which have been fueling the fire — for at least another day.
“The winds have been pretty strong today and will be similar tomorrow,” Rosenbaum added. “Winds cause more evaporation which drys out the brush even further.”
Firefighters battle growing blaze
Firefighters have been battling the blaze — which is in the area of Southwest Eighth Street and 137th Avenue — intermittently by air and ground since about 4 p.m. Tuesday.
As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, there were eight Forest Rangers working with Miami-Dade firefighters. Rosenbaum said they have contained about 40% of the brush fire, which has spread over 385 acres.
The Forest Service is concentrating its attack on the western front of the blaze, which remains at a distance but still near the heavily traveled Krome Avenue.
MDFR has escalated the fire to a second alarm due to its size and to bring in more units. Currently, Air Rescue is dumping water on the fire using a “Bambi” bucket.
Officials say we’re reaching the time of year when wildfires are the most active due to ripe weather conditions.
“MDFR reminds everyone that with dry conditions grass fires are more likely to occur,” fire rescue said.
Across the state, there are 42 active wildfires — of those, 26 are contained — covering about 35,000 total acres.
Favorable brush fire weather conditions
The National Weather Service forecasts no rain until Friday afternoon when there will be a 40% chance of thunderstorms. From Wednesday to Friday, forecasters say there will be southeast winds traveling 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
The NWS has issued a red flag warning for parts of the state, including inland Southwest Florida and interior east Central Florida. The warning indicates a heightened risk of fire danger because of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue is advising residents in the area to stay indoors if they have respiratory conditions.
On Wednesday night, Miami-Dade County’s environmental arm said the brush fires aren’t causing air-quality issues for the general population but that some people should consider precautionary steps against pollution from the blaze.
“While current conditions do not appear to be of concern, it is advisable that young children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with respiratory ailments (such as asthma), and individuals who exercise vigorously should be cautious as they may be especially sensitive to Particulate Matter pollution,” the statement read.
Steps to avoid exposure to the fire pollution include limiting outdoor activities and physical exertion.
Miami Herald Reporter Doug Hanks contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 30, 2022 at 7:10 PM.
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