Earth Island Journal
Copyright 2006 Gale Group, Inc.
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Copyright 2006 Earth Island Institute
Thousands of acres of Florida caught tire during April and May, causing at least four human fatalities by way of auto accidents on smoke-shrouded highways. The tires prompted Governor Jeb Bush to declare a state of emergency on May 9 and place the National Guard on standbyalert.
Six thousand acres of Brevard Country had burned for two weeks by May 9, in one of three huge tires and about 20 smaller ones incinerating forests, grasslands, and brush across the state.
Thousands of Floridians have been evacuated at least temporarily due to the tires. Officials hope the onset of rain in June will douse the burns. But John Saddler, a Florida Division of Forestry tire manager, told Reuters that conditions were so dry that it “would take a significant amount of rain to make a difference.”
Both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts have been hit hard. The two north-south Interstate highways, I-95 and I-75, have been shut down at times this spring due to tires and smoke.