PALMDALE, FL – On Saturday, January 12, 2019, the Florida Forest Service and Glades County Fire Department responded to several arson set wildfires on the western part of Lake Okeechobee, Curry Island at Vance Whidden County Park.
Dried out marshes fueled the inaccessible 300-acre wildfire. Even though the wildfire posed no immediate threat to structures, smoke has impeded visibility along State Road 78 and neighboring communities. Over the weekend, the Florida Highway Patrol has strategically placed smoke-on-the-highway signs to warn commuters to use caution in the area. Commuters are advised to be aware of intermittent road closures due to smoke.
In an effort to control the fire, a 1,500-acre burn-out operation is currently being implemented by the Florida Forest Service. “Forestry Firefighters are setting fire along a control line (roads and existing natural barriers) to consume the fuel between the edge of the fire and the control line,” explained Forest Area Supervisor Joe deBree with the Florida Forest Service. “The goal is to create a “black” or burned area so when the oncoming fire meets the “black” area, there will be no more fuel for it to consume, and the fire will eventually burn itself out. By using this burnout technique, firefighters are reducing the overall duration of the incident by speeding up the burning process which would likely burn naturally for days.”
The Florida Forest Service is asking the public for information about the cause of this wildfire, please contact their office at (863) 467-3221 and ask to speak to the district manager or fire investigator. Woods arson is a felony in Florida and, when convicted, the guilty person could serve up to five years in prison, pay a fine of $5,000 and be liable for the cost of suppressing the fire.
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