Wildfire is burning in Big Cypress after extreme dry weather. No help in forecast
A wildfire that ignited in Big Cypress National Preserve last week has grown to about 550 acres, forcing park managers to close off to the public an area north of I-75 west of the Miccosukee Reservation.
The blaze is the largest since the start of the fire season late last month, and is currently 25% contained. The fire is located in the northeast corner of the preserve, five miles north of I-75 and is burning primarily cypress and pine trees, the National Park Service said in a statement Friday. The closed off areas are between mile markers 49 and 63.
The driest March on record in South Florida set the stage for what could be an active wildfire season. After wet conditions from December through early February spurred lots of plant growth, March was extraordinarily hot and dry, which created plenty of fuel for burns. In mid-March most of Florida was in an abnormally dry stage, which gradually declined to a moderate drought by the end of the month, according to the US Drought Monitor. Florida got less of a quarter inch of rain on average in March.
And there is no substantial relief on the horizon, at least in the short term. Some thunderstorms are expected over the weekend but a pickup in winds on Monday could even make things worse at Big Cypress, said Eric Swartz, a meteorologist at the South Florida Water Management District.
“The best chance for rain would be Monday night, but it may not hit that area directly,” Swartz said, adding that evaporation rates are still very high, meaning that even if it rains, it won’t be enough to saturate the soil. Increased humidity should help.
If firefighting crews can keep the blaze, which the Park Service has called the Silver King Wildfire, under control it can be a good thing for the preserve’s unique ecosystem, Swartz said.
Fire is a natural part of the Everglades ecosystem during South Florida’s dry season. For thousands of years, seasonal fires which were naturally triggered by lightning kept plants in the Everglades healthy. After the Everglades were significantly altered by drainage systems to support development and growth in South Florida, natural resource managers regularly set intentional fires to the ecosystem. The burns help thin the canopies of areas with taller trees and allow light to reach plants on the floor. Burning also cleara grasses and eases the flow of water through the marshes. The ash help fertilize new growth.
Park rangers can’t say how this fire started. Firefighters continue to battle the flames from the ground and air, with a crew of 25 plus three helicopters, buggies and other vehicles.
“The direct line suppression tactics, to keep the fire small, have proven to be ineffective and Fire and Aviation are considering alternatives,” according to the statement. “There is a network of trails and roads that can be used to help contain the Silver King Wildfire. This will require additional personnel.”
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