Copyright 2006 Sarasota Herald-Tribune Co.
By PATRINA A. BOSTIC
Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida)
Firefighters raced to contain several wildfires Tuesday evening, as dry weather and the hot sun combined with winds to create ideal conditions for a blaze.
The largest fire was in Babcock Ranch, which was expected to take days to get under control. Fire officials believe Monday’s lightning storm caused the fires, which smoldered overnight and ignited in Tuesday’s hot sun.
“We don’t have it contained yet.” Firefighters “will be out there most of the night,” said Gerry LaCavera, wildfire mitigation specialist for the Florida Division of Forestry, of the 300 acres burning in Babcock Ranch in the northern part of Lee County. “It probably won’t be controlled for a couple of days.”
Firefighters first worked to contain the flames by using bulldozers to plow vegetation from the area in a circular pattern, hoping to contain the fire within those boundaries.
LaCavera said the forestry division also was working to put out fires in Cape Coral, near Burnt Store Road, as well as in Hendry and Collier counties. The Cape Coral fire was approaching 100 acres, he said.
The Hendry County fire had burned 30 acres and was expected to take a day or so to contain, he said. The Collier fire had scorched 10 acres and was growing Tuesday afternoon, the official said.
Also, the Charlotte County Fire and EMS department was working Tuesday afternoon to put out a 35-acre fire near highways 74 and 31, an official said.
Dee Hawkins, public information officer for Charlotte County Fire and EMS, said the fire off Highway 31 started when lightning struck Monday. The fire smoldered overnight and rekindled at about 3 p.m. Tuesday, she said.
Cape Coral Fire Department spokeswoman Connie Barron said other units from surrounding areas had been called to help with the Northwest Cape fire, near Jacaranda and Burnt Store Road.
“They are hitting it pretty hard,” she said.