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Brush Fires Bring Smoke, Visibility Issues To Tampa Area

News Channel 8 photo

Three brush fires that burned a total of more than 1,000 acres Thursday in Polk County are under control, but firefighters say a change in wind conditions could cause flare-ups.

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune
and NATALIE SHEPHERD | News Channel 8

Published: February 27, 2009

TAMPA - The smell of smoke is overpowering in some parts of the Tampa Bay area this morning.

Three brush fires that burned a total of more than 1,000 acres Thursday in Polk County are under control, but firefighters are monitoring them for hot spots, authorities say. They say any change in wind conditions could cause the flames to flare up again.

The smoke and fog is affecting visibility on Interstate 75 and Interstate 4 in Hillsborough and Polk counties. The poor visibility led authorities to close County Road 640 between Anderson Road and State Road 37 early this morning. They're urging all drivers to use caution.

Strong, steady winds fanned a brush fire near Mulberry that grew from five to 50 acres in about an hour and caused the voluntary evacuations of 12 homes and businesses.

One of the structures threatened is owned by an artillery company and used to store ammunition, Polk County Fire Rescue Chief Jeremiah Gilley said.

No structures have been damaged and no injuries have been reported.

The blaze at Bonnie Mine and Cozart roads is about 50 percent contained, Polk County public safety spokeswoman Heather Smith said. State forestry crews have formed a perimeter around it but have encountered difficulties reaching some burning areas.

"The terrain out here is difficult," Gilley said. "There's muck, which you can't drive vehicles in, so access is difficult with tractors and brush trucks."

State Division of Forestry officials will keep a close watch on the fire overnight and return to the area in the morning, Smith said.

"We don't want to leave any fire unattended," Gilley said. "Once we come out here, we're going to stay out here until we've done a 100 percent mop-up of the fire."

About six miles away on Anderson Road west of State Road 37, a 100-acre brush fire quickly grew to about 1,000 acres, but crews completely contained the blaze about 7 p.m., Smith said.

Power companies are at the scene to repair downed poles and power lines. Anderson Road to State Road 37 remains closed.

A third brush fire about 18 miles south of Mulberry at Fort Green Mine Road and State Road 37 was under control about 6:30 p.m.

More than 30 firefighters from five state and local agencies have responded to the fires.

Meanwhile, crews in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties battled at least four brush fires that sparked Thursday.

In Hillsborough, firefighters contained a three-acre brush fire at Symmes Road and U.S. 301 early Thursday evening. The blaze started in a junkyard and did not threaten any homes or businesses, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue spokesman Ray Yeakley said in a written statement.

About 10 miles away at FishHawk Boulevard and Lithia Pinecrest Road, a three-acre blaze was contained. At 5:30 p.m., only hot spots remained and no structures were in danger, Yeakley said.

A large brush fire reported at 4:45 p.m. in Riverview near Tucker Jones Road and Fred Drive was contained.

In Pinellas, state Division of Forestry crews plowed fire breaks in a nature preserve to contain a large fire near Lexington Street in Oldsmar.

Florida is in the midst of an unusually active fire season. On Monday, a 50-acre brush fire threatened about 20 homes in a Pasco County subdivision east of Hudson. The week before, an 80-acre brush fire encroached on a Holiday community and forced the evacuation of 25 residents.

The dry season ends about the time hurricane season starts in June.

Lack of rainfall the past few months, plus low humidity and strong winds, presented the perfect conditions for wildfires to start, Yeakley said.

Recent freezing temperatures in the Bay area have also dried out vegetation, giving brush fires plenty of fuel to burn, he said.

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