Florida Brush Fires

Major Cyrus Brown of the Florida Highway Patrol, left, stands on Interstate 95 near fire-damaged trees in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Wednesday, May 10, 2006. The State Division of Forestry recommended the closing of I-95 because of the damaged trees.

Hillsborough County Firefighters are shrouded in smoke and ash as they battle a brush fire Tuesday, May 9, 2006, in Sun City Center, Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush declared a state of emergency and called in the Florida National Guard to help fight about 50 active wildfires throughout the water-parched state that have burned thousands of acres, destroyed three homes and shut down stretches of highway.

Residents of a neighborhood in Sun City Center, Fla., carry personal belongings past a fire truck after a brush fire forced the residents to be evacuated Tuesday, May 9, 2006. Gov. Jeb Bush declared a state of emergency and called in the Florida National Guard to help fight about 50 active wildfires throughout the state that have burned thousands of acres, destroyed three homes and shut down stretches of highway.

A Hillsborough County Fire Rescue firefighter battles flames approaching Interstate 75, Monday, May 8, 2006, in Gibsonton, Fla. More than 2,200 wildfires have burned over 44,000 acres in Florida since Jan. 1, according to the state Division of Forestry.

A Hillsborough County firefighter walks close to a large brush fire near Gibsonton, Fla., Monday, May 8, 2006. Firefighters battled blazes in Volusia and Brevard counties Monday, which forced about 1,000 people to evacuate their homes and the closure of a 12-mile stretch of Interstate 95.

South Point residents were told they could not go to their homes following an evacuation of the neighborhood on U.S. 301 because of a brush fire that threatened to burn homes on Monday, May 8, 2006 in Riverview, Fla.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, center, jokes with a firefighter about his son passing the FCAT test, during a press conference Monday, May 8, 2006, at New Smyrna Beach Fire Station No. 51 in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Bush came out to show support for the firefighters working to control the recent brush fires.

Firefighters battle a brush fire near Gibsonton, Fla., Monday, May 8, 2006.

A brush fire burns on Monday, May 8, 2006, alongside State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Smoldering brush fires kept about 1,000 people from their homes, and the heavy smoke shut down parts of Interstate 95 between Daytona Beach and the Cape Canaveral area.

Bill McClellan, left, and Ralph Seltz, of the Strategic Reserve Volusia County Wildfire Team, rest on Monday, May 8, 2006, at the Volusia County Fire Services Station #23 in Samsula, Fla., after working to contain a massive brush fire in New Smyrna Beach. Station #23 has been the staging areas for the Volusia County Firefighters that had been working to contain the fire.

Ray Durham, with the Division of Forestry, extinguishes a fire on a power pole along State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Monday, May 8, 2006. Brush fires kept about 1,000 people from their homes Monday, and the heavy smoke shut down parts of Interstate 95 between Daytona Beach and the Cape Canaveral area.

A rabbit runs out of the woods after a small blaze flared up along State Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Monday, May 8, 2006. Brush fires kept about 1,000 people from their homes Monday, and the heavy smoke shut down parts of Interstate 95 between Daytona Beach and the Cape Canaveral area.

New Smyrna Beach Utilities workers Bill Zelonka, left, and Jeremy Hauger look at a burned power pole after a brush fire burned through the area in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Monday, May 8, 2006. Brush fires kept about 1,000 people from their homes Monday, and the heavy smoke shut down parts of Interstate 95 between Daytona Beach and the Cape Canaveral area.

A State Division of Forestry and Hillsborough County firefighters stand by a brush fire as it burns the Golden Aster Scrub Preserve near Gibsonton, Fla., Monday, May 8, 2006. More than 150 firefighters worked to contain the fires that have scorched more than eight-thousand acres, destroyed one home and severely damaged two others.

One of the homes destroyed by a wildfire in the Sugarmill Estates in Volusia County, Fla., is shown in this Monday, May 8, 2006, aerial photo. Firefighters used a two-pronged attack Monday to battle a 1,000-acre brush fire in Volusia County as it continued to char parts of New Smyrna Beach, where residents were evacuated Sunday.

Vehicles drive through a smoky haze, Monday, morning, May 8, 2006, in Rockledge, Fla. Smoldering brush fires kept about 1,000 people from their homes early Monday, and the heavy smoke shut down parts of Interstate 95 and the BeachLine Expressway.

A brush fire burns out of control in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Sunday, May 7, 2006. The blaze destroyed at least one home and caused Interstate 95 to be closed.

Brevard County firefighters Marc McConkey, left, and Clif Leffler douse flames on burning tractor trailer after a collision between four tractor trailers and a car on Interstate 95 near Port St. John, Fla., Sunday, May 7, 2006. Smoke from smoldering brush fires blended with fog and blanketed the highway, causing the five-vehicle collision that killed two people and shut down the north and southbound lanes for hours.

Emergency crews with the Brevard County Fire Rescue douse flames on a tractor trailer after a collision between four tractor trailers and a car on Interstate 95 near Port St. John, Fla., Sunday, May 7, 2006. Smoke from smoldering brush fires blended with fog and blanketed the highway, causing the five-vehicle collision that killed two people and shut down the north and southbound lanes for hours.

Traffic Homicide Investigator Cpl. R.E. Morton, with the Florida Highway Patrol, looks over the scene of a collision between four tractor trailers and a car on Interstate 95 near Port St. John, Fla., Sunday, May 7, 2006. Smoke from smoldering brush fires blended with fog and blanketed the highway, causing the five-vehicle collision that killed two people and shut down the north and southbound lanes for hours.