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S.R. 50 Reopens After Wildfires, But Smoke Lingers

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 23, 2009

Updated: 03/23/2009 11:18 am

State Road 50 between Hernando and Sumter counties is open, though the Florida Highway Patrol is urging drivers to slow down because of possible smoke from a wildfire that has scorched nearly a square mile of state forest land in Hernando County.

The fire in Hernando that's burning through the Richloam section of the Withlacoochee State Forest east of U.S. 301 and south of State Road 50 has burned about 640 acres and is only about 20 percent contained.

The weather today may give firefighters a slight break. Light rain has fallen over parts of eastern Hernando near the location of the fire and the winds have lowered, at least for now, said Don Ruth, spokesman for the Florida Division of Forestry.

There are five tractor crews cutting fire breaks, he said.

"We're hoping the moisture will keep up for us," he said.

Crews are still concerned about the fire leaping over fire lines, though there is less danger if winds stay low.

Light showers and sprinkles early this morning mostly east of Interstate 75 south to Fort Myers and some places such as Winter Haven have recorded 0.1 of an inch of rain.

Rain chances will be in place for much of the day, mainly north of Interstate 4, where there's a 30 percent chance of rain and a 20 percent chance elsewhere, the weather service says.

The rain may not quench the flames, but the higher humidity may slow the spread of the fires.

Firefighters will still have to contend with winds from the east that could use up to 20 mph.

Conditions will turn worse on Tuesday as any possibility of rain evaporates and dry air moves over West Central Florida.

The weather service is warning of hazardous fire conditions on Tuesday with lower humidity levels.

An 18-acre brush fire near U.S. 19 and Bridge Road in Pasco County prompted the highway patrol to place signs warning motorists of smoke. The Division of Forestry says that fire is about 80 percent contained near Limit Drive.

High winds on Sunday caused the fire in Hernando to mushroom from 350 acres to 600 acres in two hours. It was reported at 10:25 a.m. Winds caused embers to jump over firebreaks the width of four bulldozers.

The Division of Forestry says the fires in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk counties that burned late last week and into the weekend have been contained.

Forestry crews estimate a fire in Oldsmar covered 35 acres and may have been started by youths setting off fireworks. It burned within about 200 yards of some homes but none were damaged.

The largest fires were in Polk, where one burned about 250 acres on phosphate mining property. Another in southwest Polk covered about 150 acres.

A fire near Balm in Hillsborough covered about 15 acres.

Crews will continue to check the fires but as of this morning, smoke was not causing problems.

The continuing drought and volatile wildfire conditions prompted the Southwest Florida Water Management District to suspend controlled burns and ban campfires on any of the 350,000 acres the district owns.

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