Wildfires Scorch 33,000 acres of Everglades National Park

By Diane Smith
22:44, May 18th 2008
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Wildfires Scorch 33,000 acres of Everglades National Park

Despite huge efforts made by crews of the Florida Firefighters, a blaze that started Wednesday scorched nearly 33,000 acres of Everglades National Park on Sunday. This has been the latest in a series of wildfires that burned across regions of Florida this month.

Authorities said firefighters managed to contain about 20 percent of the blaze. The fire crews are currently working to restrict the fire to the park while protecting the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, a species of bird which is federally protected.

The National Weather Service issued a dense smoke advisory as the wildfires cast a haze over some areas of South Florida.  

The wildfire which torched Everglades National Park started Friday, the Southern Area InterAgency Management Blue Team said. Residents of Dade County and some of Broward County have been alerted to be aware of the risks of smoke inhalation.

The high wind on Sunday made life tougher for firefighters as it pushed the blaze into the corner of the park closest to Miami. Nearly 200 Florida Firefighters personnel worked together to contain the wildfire. More crews are expected to offer their assistance on Sunday.

The fire scorched at least 12,000 acres in the "Brevard Complex" near Palm Bay, on Florida's Atlantic Coast just south of Daytona Beach. However, fire crews contained almost 75 percent of that fire and officials of the National Interagency Fire Center said they estimate the fire will be fully contained on Tuesday.

State authorities arrested a man, Brian Crowder, last week. The man was charged with arson in connection with some of the fires in Palm Bay.



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