Post by tonya on May 7, 2006 22:32:48 GMT -5
Brevard County now Volusia County. Big time fires.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
May 7, 10:58 PM EDT
1,000 evacuated in New Smyrna Beach as brush fire nears homes
MIAMI (AP) -- About 1,000 residents in New Smyrna Beach were ordered to evacuate their homes Sunday as strong winds pushed a brush fire across Interstate 95 toward their homes, authorities said.
More than 100 firefighters were working to contain the blaze that had consumed about 1,000 acres and destroyed at least one home, Volusia County officials said.
"Our problem is no rain, dry conditions and strong winds," said Greg Dunn, a spokesman for the Division of Forestry.
The cause of the fire was under investigation. One firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation, authorities said.
Rita McSweeney told The Daytona Beach News-Journal the fire was behind her home when she evacuated.
"I could see it through the woods," she said. "The sky was black, black, black, black, and then it would turn fire engine red. It felt like I could reach out and touch the fire."
Edward Beazley said many of his neighbors left their lawn sprinklers running as the clouds of black smoke rolled their way. "I had a few falling embers at my house," he said.
A 7-mile stretch of I-95 shut down Sunday afternoon because of smoke from other fires that began Friday, burning more than 1,000 acres, would remain closed until at least midmorning Monday, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
Meanwhile, authorities announced that a 20-mile section of I-95 in Brevard County will be closed during early morning hours this week after smoke from smoldering brush fires blended with fog and blanketed the highway Sunday, causing a five-vehicle collision that killed two people.
FHP will close I-95 in Brevard County from Fiske Boulevard to State Road 50 from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. beginning Monday. The BeachLine, State Road 528, will also be closed from State Road 520 to U.S. 1 during the same hours.
Both roads have been shut down intermittently because brush fires in the area are burning close to the highways. They will be closed during morning hours until there are no more visibility issues, FHP spokeswoman Kim Miller said.
Drivers should use an alternate route and expect delays because the fires could force closures at any time, she said.
"The hint to motorists is don't use I-95 in the next couple of days if you don't have to. We want motorists to avoid 95 from Indian River County up to Jacksonville," Miller said.
Troopers were preparing to shut down I-95 in Brevard County around 6:15 a.m. Sunday when a collision involving four trucks and a car killed two people, Miller said.
More than 2,200 wildfires have burned over 44,000 acres in Florida since Jan. 1, according to the state Division of Forestry.
Give me a hurricane!
Tonya
ASSOCIATED PRESS
May 7, 10:58 PM EDT
1,000 evacuated in New Smyrna Beach as brush fire nears homes
MIAMI (AP) -- About 1,000 residents in New Smyrna Beach were ordered to evacuate their homes Sunday as strong winds pushed a brush fire across Interstate 95 toward their homes, authorities said.
More than 100 firefighters were working to contain the blaze that had consumed about 1,000 acres and destroyed at least one home, Volusia County officials said.
"Our problem is no rain, dry conditions and strong winds," said Greg Dunn, a spokesman for the Division of Forestry.
The cause of the fire was under investigation. One firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation, authorities said.
Rita McSweeney told The Daytona Beach News-Journal the fire was behind her home when she evacuated.
"I could see it through the woods," she said. "The sky was black, black, black, black, and then it would turn fire engine red. It felt like I could reach out and touch the fire."
Edward Beazley said many of his neighbors left their lawn sprinklers running as the clouds of black smoke rolled their way. "I had a few falling embers at my house," he said.
A 7-mile stretch of I-95 shut down Sunday afternoon because of smoke from other fires that began Friday, burning more than 1,000 acres, would remain closed until at least midmorning Monday, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
Meanwhile, authorities announced that a 20-mile section of I-95 in Brevard County will be closed during early morning hours this week after smoke from smoldering brush fires blended with fog and blanketed the highway Sunday, causing a five-vehicle collision that killed two people.
FHP will close I-95 in Brevard County from Fiske Boulevard to State Road 50 from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. beginning Monday. The BeachLine, State Road 528, will also be closed from State Road 520 to U.S. 1 during the same hours.
Both roads have been shut down intermittently because brush fires in the area are burning close to the highways. They will be closed during morning hours until there are no more visibility issues, FHP spokeswoman Kim Miller said.
Drivers should use an alternate route and expect delays because the fires could force closures at any time, she said.
"The hint to motorists is don't use I-95 in the next couple of days if you don't have to. We want motorists to avoid 95 from Indian River County up to Jacksonville," Miller said.
Troopers were preparing to shut down I-95 in Brevard County around 6:15 a.m. Sunday when a collision involving four trucks and a car killed two people, Miller said.
More than 2,200 wildfires have burned over 44,000 acres in Florida since Jan. 1, according to the state Division of Forestry.
Give me a hurricane!
Tonya
