NSBNews.Net provides Volusia County with 24 / 7 Internet newspaper coverage for a 21st-century world. This website can also be accessed through VolusiaNews.Net
OAK HILL -- By 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the nearly 17,000-acre wildfire straddling the Volusia and Brevard county lines had been 95 percent contained, officials said.
Here is a synopsis of the situation as reported by fire officials:
Fire activity: 16,802 acres have burned in Volusia and Brevard counties since Feb. 28. Fire managers expect to have full containment by Sunday. Fire behavior was light Saturday, allowing firefighters another successful day of line construction and improvement. An infrared heat detection flight picked up 17 hot spots along the fire perimeter, primarily in the northern sections of the fire, south of Maytown Road and northeast of the Lake Harney subdivision. Engine crews will use this information to determine where to concentrate their mop-up efforts. No visible flames were observed during the flight; however, there were concentrations of smoke in the swampy areas in the northern section of the fire.
Injuries: One Division of Forestry firefighter was injured just after 1 p.m. Saturday as he was spraying water during mop-up. He received second-degree steam burns on the forehead and ear and was transported by ambulance to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach. Safety officers on the scene are investigating the incident and will develop a plan to prevent further burn injuries.
Closures: ATVs and 4x4 vehicles are requested to stay out of the fire area to allow firefighters room to work. The Mondex area at 5A and I-95, and the Maytown Road and Maytown Spur areas will be closed to the public throughout the weekend.
Motorcycles: Bikers should not ride or park motorcycles in dry grass because the heat could ignite a fire. Motorists should be extra vigilant in looking for motorcycles on the road as it may be difficult to see them in smoky conditions. Burn ban: Volusia County Fire Services has issued a burn ban for the county’s unincorporated areas, Lake Helen, Pierson and Oak Hill. All outdoor burning, unless authorized by the Florida Division of Forestry, is prohibited. This includes the burning of yard trash, household paper products, bonfires, campfires, warming fires and cooking fires. Outdoor cooking done with a contained gas or charcoal grill (excluding a fire pit) is the only exception.
Smoke: Smoke will remain a factor in the fire area for a long time. Residents are asked to call 9-1-1 only to report flames, not smoke. Drivers are asked to slow down and use low-beam headlights when traveling in the fire area.
Personnel: Firefighters are responding from the Division of Forestry, Volusia County, Brevard County, Orange County, Osceola County, Seminole County, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kissimmee, Sanford, Mims, Oak Hill, Cocoa Beach, Kennedy Space Center, Melbourne, Cape Canaveral, DeLand, Satellite Beach, Rockledge, Indialantic, Merritt Island, Melbourne, Patrick Air Force Base, Four Communities, and Environmentally Endangered Lands. Cooperating agencies include the Brevard County Sheriffs’ Office, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, Oak Hill Police Department, City of Oak Hill, Edgewater Police Department, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement.
Equipment: 46 engines (9 DOF, 7 USFWS, 8 VCFS, 22 BCFR); 34 dozers (25 DOF, 4 USFWS, 5 other); and two helicopters.