UPDATED 10 p.m. Thursday, March 20, with latest road closure information
The massive brush fire that began Tuesday in South Miami-Dade, snarling traffic into the Florida Keys for days, continues to challenge efforts by firefighters to contain it.
Card Sound Road remains closed, while the 18-Mile Stretch is open, said a spokesperson for Monroe County in a statement issued at 9:30 p.m. Thursday.
"There will continue to be the need for possible closures to make the necessary firefighting missions successful," the spokesperson said.
The fire has burned 24,000 acres, with 30% contained, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials and the Florida Forest Service, which are working together to in south Miami-Dade to contain the fire.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Forest Service urged residents and tourists to avoid U.S. 1 late Thursday afternoon.
The Florida Forest Service has 27 "personnel on scene, along with multiple engines, tractors, bulldozers, three helicopters, and two fixed-wing airplanes," said Simpson, who added that "strike teams" from other parts of Florida are also on the scene.
For the latest information on road closures in the area, motorists can visit fl511.com.
Earlier in the day, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said they deployed multiple units and resources, including water tender trucks, to provide extra water supply, along with air rescue teams doing water drops in areas inaccessible to ground crews.
READ MORE: U.S. 1 in the Keys reopens as officials contain large brush fire
There is no current threat to commercial or residential areas, say MD-FR officials but they are warning that shifting winds may increase smoky conditions.
Authorities are advising local residents to limit their time outdoors, keep windows and doors closed, and recirculate their air conditioning.
Commuters are being told to be prepared for intermittent road closures as firefighters and others battle large blaze.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service on Thursday afternoon issued a “red flag warning” to run through 8 p.m. for all four South Florida counties.
Miami-Dade officials late Thursday said the smoky conditions around Card Sound Road and the 18-mile stretch of U.S. 1, are affecting the air quality. They report Air Quality Index, or AQI, for Miami-Dade is in the moderate range. "However, with shifting winds, the AQI may reach levels ... in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category," they warned.
The brush fire prompted Miami-Dade to suspend two bus routes into the Keys. The 301 Dade-Monroe Express, which travels from Florida City to Marathon, and 302 Card Sound Express which goes from US-1 into Card Sound Road, were shut down at 1 pm Thursday. Both routes are out of service until further notice.
The fire broke out at a time when spring break is in full swing in Florida, and U.S. 1 is the major thoroughfare that connects the mainland to the Keys and Monroe County.
It’s also a heavily traveled road for thousands of people who live on the mainland and work at many of the hotels and restaurants in Key Largo and beyond.
If you live or work in the Florida Keys, WLRN wants to hear from you. Send us a message or voice memo to talktous@wlrnnews.org
