WEST BROWARD, FLA. (WSVN) - A brush fire that sparked in the Everglades earlier this week has scorched more than 20,500 acres in Northwest Miami-Dade and Southwest Broward County, officials said, leaving a path of ash on cars as far as Miramar.
7News cameras on Saturday afternoon captured black smoke still seen west of Okeechobee Road and Krome Avenue in Northwest Miami-Dade, near Mack’s Fish Camp and the county line.
First responders are still hosing patches of land in an effort to completely contain the blaze that, forestry officials believe, sparked Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities asked media outlets covering the fire at Everglades National Park to leave for their safety. The park was shut down at around 7:30 p.m.
After the sun set, cameras captured an orange glow from the flames lighting up the night sky.
The blaze, dubbed the L-30 fire by forestry officials, has continued to grow, and on Friday, flames ignited near Pines Boulevard, west of Pembroke Pines, in Southwest Broward.
Video sent in by a 7News viewer shows flames eating their way through dry brush.
A group of people who live and work in the area decided to do what they could to help. They went out on an airboat and flattened the grass in an attempt to saturate it in order to keep the fire away.
On Friday, a forestry plane was seen flying over the the thousands of burning acres, as crews monitored the fire.
The flames on Friday came dangerously close to Mack’s Fish Camp in Northwest Miami-Dade and within a half mile of the Holly Lakes mobile home community in Southwest Broward, both located just west of U.S. 27.
Dry conditions and windy weather fueled the fire near the Dade-Broward line.
Over in Pembroke Pines, cars were covered in debris from the fire.
“I thought it was just my car, and I look around, and I see this on everybody’s cars,” said area resident Jayshawn Bull.
Ash also fell on vehicles in Miramar and Weston.
No injuries have been reported.
Fire service rangers and first responders with multiple agencies continue to monitor the flames.
Late Saturday night, it started to rain near the brush fire, but the rainfall was light and did not last long.
According to the Florida Forest Service, 90% of the fire was contained as of Sunday. Rain showers are expected to go throughout the day and could put out the fire, but officials said there’s no guarantee.
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