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Fires Erupt In Pasco County

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By RAY REYES

rreyes@tampatrib.com

Published: February 24, 2009

Firefighters had a 50-acre brush fire west of Hudson about 90 percent contained Monday evening, and homes in the path of the blaze appeared safe, state forestry officials say.

Several fire crews were rerouted Monday evening to an area near the Zephyrhills airport, where a 20-acre wildfire was burning in a remote wetlands area owned by the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Division of Forestry spokesman Don Ruth said.

The day of brush fires left a smoky smell through much of the Tampa Bay area.

The fire near Hudson triggered a voluntary evacuation of about 20 homes in the Veranda subdivision near State Road 52 and Moon Lake Road. Ruth said that fire started about 3 p.m. in a dry cypress swamp that abuts the subdivision.

"It's a slow-moving fire, fortunately," he said Monday evening.

The thick smoke blanketing the subdivision and surrounding areas was slowing the return of residents to their houses, he said.

Pasco County Fire Rescue crews had lines around the wildfire by early evening and were expected to stay at the scene for most of the night.

Flames from the fire had crept close to the back porches of some houses, and firefighters sprayed water on homes and rooftops as a preventive measure.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

Because the wildfire is in a dry swamp, smoke is expected to linger in the area for days or weeks, said Dave Fogler, area supervisor for the Division of Forestry.

Officials have requested electronic signs that will be posted on S.R. 52 warning motorists of the smoke. Once the wildfire is extinguished, state forestry crews plan on flooding the swamp to eradicate the smoke, Fogler said.

Florida is in the midst of an unusually active fire season and, so far, Pasco County appears to be a hotbed for brush fires. On Wednesday, crews battled an 80-acre wildfire that threatened the Beacon Square community in Holiday and forced the evacuation of 25 homes.

The same day, more crews were dispatched to a swampy area near State Road 52 in San Antonio, where a brush fire quickly grew from 5 to 100 acres.

The dry season ends about when hurricane season starts.

"It's going to be a long spring," Fogler said.

News Channel 8 reporter Lynn Carson contributed to this report. Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920.

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