MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — The owner of an Everglades airboat attraction returned to the water Thursday to survey damage left behind by the Highway 41 Fire, a fast-moving blaze that forced his business to shut down and burned through thousands of acres of the River of Grass in Miami-Dade County.
Jose Novo, CEO of Everglades Safari Park, rode an airboat through scorched marshland along the highway corridor, seeing for the first time how far the fire had spread after igniting Saturday.
“This was a pretty big fire and it spread very, very quick,” Novo said.
The wildfire burned more than 9,000 acres across the Everglades, fueled by dry brush and long-dead vegetation scattered across the landscape.
From the water, the damage is uneven — large stretches of blackened sawgrass broken up by pockets of untouched greenery just feet away.
From the airboat, the burn scar extends for miles in some directions, showing how rapidly and irregularly the fire moved through the River of Grass.
Novo said the intensity of the fire was driven in part by accumulated fuel on the ground.
“It was very hot due to a lot of trees that have rotted and fell down throughout the years,” he said.
Officials say the fire is now about 20% contained, with only scattered hot spots remaining.
Despite the destruction, Novo said fire is part of the natural cycle of the Everglades ecosystem.
“The beautiful thing is is that in two or three weeks you’ll see all of the brand new shoots of green coming out,” he said.
He added that the burn helps clear out old vegetation and make way for new growth.
“It comes back stronger and gets rid of the old stuff,” Novo said.
With no active flames remaining, Novo said he is preparing to reopen his business as conditions continue to improve and recovery begins across the burned area.
Click here to get current status updates and statistics about the fire, including acreage, which is updated perodically, and here to get the latest closures due to the fire.
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