Fire Near Card Sound Road 70-Percent Contained
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Card Sound Road reopened after being closed all Monday night due to a large brush fire which had scorched more than 1,900 acres as of Tuesday afternoon and is 70-percent contained.
"It appears much better today. But as the day goes by we may see some more smoke and the fire might start to pick up activity along the road," said Gary Lewis with the Florida Forest Service.
Firefighters have been battling this fire since Saturday. The fire, which forestry workers believe was intentionally set, started on one side of Card Sound Road and jumped to the other side. The road has been closed to traffic twice in the last couple of days due to heavy smoke.
"The smoke is kind of shifting back and forth on the road and it's going back and forth, so there's just constantly smoke on the road and sometimes it's heavier smoke," said Lewis.
While the fire and smoke are a concern for drivers, it is actually good for the environment.
"In my 28 years of experience in fighting fires, it's beneficial to the animals, to the environment, clearing up old debris, putting nutrients in the ground, it is very beneficial," said Lewis.
That is if it stays under control. Forestry workers ahve been setting back fires to prevent the few hot spots from spreading. The fire, which is burning in three areas, is about 45 percent contained. That could change, however, if the wind picks up or shifts.