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I-4 Smoke Problem Dwindling

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 16, 2008

TAMPA - Forestry crews are continuing the difficult job of extinguishing smoking hot spots from a fire in Polk County that still could force the closing of Interstate 4.

The highway remained open this morning, but the state Division of Forestry official in charge of the mop-up work said smoky conditions can show up any time.

There is no estimate of when every area of smoldering material will be extinguished.

"It's impossible to say," said Gerry LaCavera, wildfire mitigation specialist. "There's lots of hot spots out there."

Today the weather is cooperating. Any smoke is rising quickly, and a light wind is dispersing it rapidly, he said. Still, things can change.

The fire started Jan. 8 as a controlled burn intended to cover 10 acres. Weather changed, and the blaze quickly grew out of control and consumed about 380 acres.

The fire, about a mile north of I-4, was still burning the morning of Jan. 9 when drivers hit a stretch of road where visibility dropped to a few feet. State forestry officials are investigating whether smoke mixing with fog created the pall that blanketed the road.

Smoke provides tiny particles for water molecules in fog to cling to, creating a mix that is thicker than fog or smoke alone.

The forestry division has 10 trucks at the scene that can carry up to 500 gallons of water each. Bulldozers must clear paths through fallen trees in the dried out swamp so the trucks can reach the smoldering patches.

It can be anything from a handful of smoking leaves and pine needles to embers in a few stumps.

Also, some of the tree trunks are smoldering on their undersides, so workers have to jet water beneath them or flip the logs to get at the fire.

"It's tough, dirty work," LaCavera said.

Even if winds expected to gust more than 20 mph today kick the smoldering material into flame, there is little chance of fire spreading. The burned area is well contained, and paths cut through the downed timber create extra firebreaks.

"I don't expect that to be a problem," LaCavera said.

The Florida Highway Patrol will continue to monitor the stretch of I-4 until the Division of Forestry says all the smoldering spots are extinguished.

The National Weather Service said up to three-quarters of an inch of rain may fall on Polk County today through Thursday.

Reporter Neil Johnson can be reached at (813) 259-7731 or njohnson@tampatrib.com.

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