OCALA NATIONAL FOREST, Fla. — Firefighters used helicopters and “canoe crews” this week to battle a wildfire that has destroyed more than 10,000 acres of wilderness.
The blaze, ignited accidentally March 10 by campers, shut down the canoe runs, hiking paths and birding trails around Juniper Springs Campground, one of the most popular recreation areas in the 383,000-acre forest.
“It’s raised some serious concerns,” said Heather Callahan, spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service, steward of the 100-year-old national forest located in parts of Lake, Marion and Putnam counties.
More than 130 firefighters, some of whom have experience as “smoke jumpers” in western forest fires, have battled the blaze with the aid of helicopters, which have tried to douse the flames with more than 220,000 gallons of water.
The swooping and scooping helicopters, using buckets ranging in size from 140 gallons to 1,000 gallons, pull water from the forest’s lakes and ponds to pound the blaze from above.
Burn bans have been implemented in Lake and Marion counties, where the Keetch-Byram Drought Index exceeded 650, a value at which risks for wildfires are heightened because of the extreme dryness of ground cover.
Firefighters have tried to fight fire with fire, using controlled burns to rob the wildfire of fuel it would need to grow.
Callahan said “canoe crews” paddled Juniper Creek to reach and close a seven-mile gap in a fire perimeter designed to hem in the blaze. They were close to containing the fire early this week.
Lingering smoke from the wilderness fire continued to plague motorists on State Roads 19 and 40, where the U.S. Forest Service has urged drivers to exercise special caution.
For more than a week, flames and smoke have shut the popular campground, canoe and kayak runs, hiking and birding trails and some roads.
Callahan said firefighters were especially concerned last week about Sweetwater Cabin, a historic lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The venue is so popular that its weekly rentals are conducted by lottery.
Fire crews conducted “burn-outs” — a type of controlled burn — near the secluded cabin while winds were favorable during the weekend.
U.S. Forest Service officials, who cited the visitors whose campfire started the blaze, plan to issue citations to anyone who violates fire restrictions. Punishments for the federal misdemeanor range from six months in prison to a $5,000 fine.
Firefighting efforts have been hampered because motorized equipment is prohibited in the federally protected wilderness.
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