Massive Miami-Dade fire’s smoke plume moving toward homes and Everglades, NWS says
The smoke plume created by a massive five-alarm warehouse fire near Miami Gardens on Thursday is moving toward homes and the Everglades, away from airports, the National Weather Service said.
Thursday’s winds are coming to the rescue of many Miami-Dade residents as the gusts were moving west-northwest and taking the smoke plumes away from the vast majority of homes and airports, like Miami International Airport, National Weather Service Senior Forecaster Anthony Reynes told the Miami Herald.
Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport spokespersons said their airports have not been impacted by the fire.
By 6:30 p.m, winds shifted and were headed west, forecasters say, switching the affected areas from Pembroke Pines, Miramar and Weston, to those directly west of the massive six-story warehouse fire about three miles from Hard Rock Stadium. This included northwest Miami-Dade and parts of Miramar.
This new shift will remain on Thursday, the weather service said.
PurpleAir.com, which has air-quality sensors throughout South Florida, shows the air near Weston in the last hour has on average been heavily polluted, which the site uses EPA metrics to calculate.
“Some members of the general public may experience health effects with 24 hours of exposure; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects,” PurpleAir’s analysis read.
READ MORE: Second large Miami-Dade fire sparks up as firefighters battle five-alarm blaze
Reynes said rain chances are also low, meaning any sporadic showers that do occur will be insignificant in aiding firefighters as they battle the still raging warehouse fire.
Around 11 a.m., Miami-Dade firefighters began fighting the blaze at 20600 NW 47th Ave. The fire was upgraded to a five-alarm fire and 48 units are trying to put it out, with the addition of helicopters dropping water from above.
READ MORE: How firefighters are battling a 5-alarm warehouse fire near Miami Gardens
The National Weather Service is also recommending at-risk people, such as those with respiratory issues or the elderly, to remain indoors.
This story was originally published March 5, 2026 at 3:10 PM.
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