OCHOPEE, Fla. — A beige haze hung over Alligator Alley near mile marker 75 as thick smoke from a wildfire in Big Cypress Preserve pushed across the sky.
“It is a lot thicker than fog or mist would be,” said Josiah Meiring, founder of Elevated Service Group.
Smoke drifted far beyond the preserve. Meiring said it stretched north past LaBelle, roughly 70 miles away.
Crews are working on federal land along the edge of the fire, concentrating on keeping it south of Interstate 75. The highway is serving as a fire break to stop the flames from moving farther north.
“These fires tend to jump around and they are carried by the wind,” Meiring said.
Dr. Gary Lai, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Broward Health Coral Springs, talked about the impact these fires can have on people with asthma.
“Wildfires are a real force to be aware of and weary, especially those with medical problems involving asthma or COPD, those irritants, those particles in the air, can definitely trigger and cause exacerbations,” he said. “The best recommendation is to try to stay indoors if possible. But when that’s not always the case, you know, wearing an N 95 mask to kind of decrease exposure, making sure you stay on top of your maintenance medications that you might be on for your asthma or COPD, and also limit the amount of time you’re out there, especially if you have to do any kind of physical or strenuous activity.”
The National Park Service said recent frost damage and ongoing drought conditions helped the fire grow. Crews are working to hold it within a set perimeter.
“So, South Florida is home to a lot of wildfires. This is not anything out of the ordinary, particularly right now when having a drought this time of year,” Meiring said. “One ember gets carried by the wind, lands in another dry spot and then takes off.”
An update from the National Park Service below:
“Fire crews remain engaged in coordinated suppression and containment efforts and will continue monitoring conditions closely, especially in anticipation of shifting winds. The National Fire is approximately 15,000 acres and 0% contained.”
Officials have not released a cause.
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