MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — An ICE spokesperson confirmed to Local 10 News on Tuesday that detainees are being evacuated from the Krome Detention Center as nearby brush fires continue burning in west Miami-Dade County.
The spokesperson stated that the agency began evacuating the facility over the weekend “out of an abundance of caution” because of brush fires burning around detention center, located at 18201 SW 12th St. in west Miami-Dade.
“ICE takes the health and safety of those in our custody as our top priority,” an ICE spokesman said in a statement. “Over the weekend, out of an abundance of caution, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement started evacuating the Krome Service Processing Center due to brush fires burning around the detention center.”
The agency said detainees have been transferred to other ICE facilities both within Florida and outside the state.
They also stated that their officers are trained for emergencies such as wildfires and that the evacuation has been carried out in an orderly manner with no reported incidents.
“ICE will continue to work with the Florida Forest Service to closely monitor any situation as it may arise,” the statement continued.
The Florida Forest Service said crews have been working around the clock since the fires started, working under a unified command with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
A Florida Forest Service spokesperson told Local 10 News that the larger of the two fires, known as the Quarry 2 Fire, east of Krome Avenue, has burned 19,018 acres and is now 97% contained. The Well Fire, near Northwest 122nd Avenue, has burned 2,814 acres and is 85% contained. The Corrections Fire has burned 363 acres and is 75% contained as of Tuesday evening.
By Tuesday afternoon, some rain moved through the area, providing some relief amid hot and dry conditions.
For some nearby businesses, the smoke and flames brought some frightening few days.
Sonia Gonzalez, a manager at The Pit on Southwest Eighth Street, said the fire came dangerously close Friday night.
“It was really, really bad. The smoke was completely — and everything was engulfed all the way up to here,” Gonzalez said.
She said crews later ordered them to evacuate.
“The fire marshal came out and he said everybody out. They gave us 15 minutes to evacuate,” Gonzalez said.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue continues encouraging residents to monitor air quality as smoke from the fires impacted parts of the county. At one point, air quality levels reached “unhealthy for certain groups.”
The evacuation has raised questions because three facilities are located in close proximity to one another in the area:
- Everglades Correctional Institution, a state-run prison that was not evacuated
- Krome Detention Center, the ICE detention facility that was evacuated
- A former juvenile justice facility that is currently abandoned
Local 10 News has reached out to state officials for clarification on why Everglades Correctional Institution remained operational while the Krome Detention Center was evacuated, but has not yet received a response.
Miami-Dade residents and visitors can track the latest wildfire conditions and containment updates through the Florida Forest Service’s public wildfire viewer by clicking here.
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