BY JENN SAMSEL
Jenn@BcTelegraph.com
Firefighters are battling multiple wildfires across several counties, with smoke affecting residents in Alachua, Bradford, Clay, and Putnam Counties.
The 2,000-acre area in Clay and a 1,000-acre area in Putnam, along with two large fires in Gainesville covering 106 and 306 acres, are impacting several counties as dry conditions persist with little rain expected.
The fire first started on Wednesday, April 15th, on State Road 26 in Gainesville.
As of Sunday, April 18, “The fire is 306 acres and 60% contained. Crews will focus on widening containment lines and mopping up hot spots, per the Florida Forest Service – Waccasassa Forestry Center on Facebook.
On Thursday, April 15, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office reported that traffic on State Road 26 was being diverted southbound onto County Road 234. Additionally, all westbound traffic was being rerouted onto US Highway 301, resulting in significant congestion during rush hour. Drivers were advised to avoid the area and seek alternative routes.
A statement was issued from the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office since they were receiving 911 calls for the large brush fires,” There are several large fires burning in surrounding counties, causing smoke and ash to drift into Bradford County. As of Sunday, April 19th at 5:45 pm, there are No Active Fires burning in Bradford County. We are actively monitoring the situation and have fire units checking the region in an abundance of caution. There will be heavy smoke in the area for several hours. If you are sensitive to smoke, have asthma or COPD, stay indoors,” said Michael Heeder, Bradford County Sheriff’s Office.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is monitoring progress, evacuating residents from affected areas, and sending notifications via applications such as SaferWatch, Text Alerts, and social media.
“Please be advised that there is an increase in smoke in the air due to fires that have spread in both Green Cove Springs and Gainesville. If possible, stay inside, and an update will be given as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation for the residents of Keystone Heights.
“Emergency personnel continue to remain on scene of the Crews Road Fire as part of a multi-agency response. The fire on the Clay County side is approximately 1,700 acres. We are under a red flag warning, and we are anticipating strong southwest winds today, which could push the fire in that direction. We are closely monitoring conditions to determine any possible hazards and evacuations for residents in that area. We are asking residents to please refrain from flying their personal drones in restricted airspaces, as we will have to pull air resources if drones are spotted, and this will affect emergency operations. If you want to get emergency updates regarding this fire on your phone, you can sign up for alerts on AlertClay: alert.claycountygov.com. Traffic updates and emergency response in your neighborhood will be posted on SaferWatch.”
Residents in Brooker, Keystone Heights, and Melrose could see and smell the smoky conditions from the fires.
Florida Forestry has been deploying various aircraft to help mitigate the spread of fires affecting surrounding counties.
A mandatory burn ban is currently in effect across the state of Florida, and the region is also experiencing a phase two water drought. Residents are reminded to be cautious when smoking and to avoid burning any trash or leaves. Additionally, please exercise extra care while grilling.
If you have questions or concerns, please call 877-252-9362 instead of 911. Only use 911 for emergencies.
At this time, the cause of the fire is unknown.
