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Ruskin Brush Fire May Have Consumed 100 Acres

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 16, 2009

TAMPA - Forestry workers will return today to the scene of a brush fire in Ruskin that possibly consumed up to 100 acres to make sure no hot spots are smoldering and to dig new fire lines if necessary.

It was the largest of four fires that started Sunday in Hillsborough and Polk counties. The first was near River Estates Drive in southern Hillsborough and burned 9 acres, said state Division of Forestry duty officer Chris Stokes.

Two others burned in Polk, one covering 2 acres near the airport in Bartow and another about 10 acres off Old Polk City Road near Haines City.

The Haines City fire is believed to have started in an abandoned mobile home that was a suspected drug lab, Stokes said. The smaller Polk brush fire started from a vehicle fire.

Officials are investigating the cause of the Hillsborough brush fires.

The Ruskin fire started near 14th Avenue Southeast and 15th Street Southeast when two fires merged into one. It forced the evacuation of residents from about 10 homes at a mobile home park and damaged at least one abandoned home used by migrant workers.

So far, this year is the most active wildfire season in Polk, Pinellas and Hillsborough since 2006.

Through Sunday, there have been 90 fires that covered 1,849 acres in the three counties, more than twice the number of fires and acreage burned through the same period in 2008 and a third more fires and 25 percent more acres burned in 2007.

The increased fire activity reflects this year's tinder-dry conditions.

Under an index that measures moisture and indicates fire risk – with 0 as saturated and 800 as bone dry – Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk are 616. At the same time last year, the three counties were 275; in 2007, they were 492.

Forestry firefighters become concerned when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index tops 400, Stokes said.

Typically in March, the index is in the 300 range for Central Florida.

The statewide average is 566, compared to 204 in 2008 and 439 in 2007.

Reporter Neil Johnson can be reached at (813) 259-7731.

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