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U.S. 41 closed Saturday by smoke from Sandy Fire; firefighters using drones to thwart fire's advance

Wildfire in Big Cypress National Preserve within the Florida Everglades is burning through acreage, moving to the southwest, shutting down roads and trails and putting residents in the heavily wooded region on notice that evacuations are escalating
Logan Tucker
/
Special to WGCU
Wildfire in Big Cypress National Preserve within the Florida Everglades is burning through acreage, moving to the southwest, shutting down roads and trails and putting residents in the heavily wooded region on notice that evacuations are escalating

OCHOPEE – Billowing smoke from the Sandy Fire continued twelve days into the blaze Saturday as more than 100 state and federal firefighters dug fire lines and pilots in helicopters and planes dropped thousands of tons of water every hour on Friday.

And putting a bit of high-tech firefighting into play on Friday, forestry firefighters began using drones to thwart the advance of flames.

The Florida Highway Patrol on Saturday, for the second time in two days, shut down traffic on a nearly 60-mile section of U.S. 41 due to the fire.

Drones have now been put into play carrying fire-suppression materials to help try to corral the Sandy Fire in the Big Cypress National Preserve.
Rob Berney
/
Special to WGCU
Drones have now been put into play carrying fire-suppression materials to help try to corral the Sandy Fire in the Big Cypress National Preserve. The drones use a method called Dragon eggs, similar to ping-pong balls but filled with potassium permanganate powder and injected with glycol and dropped to the target site. The balls ignite about 30 seconds after injection to start a controlled fire.

Smoke and haze created by the now 16,600-acre wildfire forced the Florida Highway Patrol to close a 58-mile stretch of U.S. 41 from Miami-Dade to Collier counties Friday morning, fearing drivers may not reduce speed enough to avoid a pile-up due to slow-downs. The road was reopened more than seven hours later, shortly before 4:30 p.m.

Shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday the FHP announced it was again shutting down 41, eastbound from State Road 29 in Collier and westbound from Krome Avenue in Miami-Dade due to poor visibility from the wildfire's smoke.

The FHP reopened 41 shortly before 8:30 p.m. Saturday. "Troopers will continue to monitor that area," a release from the FHP said.

"Travelers should be aware of potential closures and use caution when driving on U.S. 41," Riki Hoopes, National Parks Service wildfire information officer, said. "Vehicles should travel slowly and be aware of their surroundings and possible fire equipment entering and leaving the road."

Specific evacuations entered phase two of three Friday as the blaze, at 35% contained, was still growing to its southwest.

There was less than two-tenths of an inch of rain in the Big Cypress National Preserve in April. No rain has fallen there so far this month, according to the South Florida Water Management District.

And May 21 — the first rainy "summer season" day in South Florida on average — is a week away, according to the National Weather Service.

National Park Service
The northern end of the Sandy Wildfire is contained as marked in blue on the map, above. The red lines are where the blaze is increasing
Braun, Michael

Hoopes said the Sandy Fire continues to burn through thick stands of pines, cypress, and underbrush making fighting the fire difficult because the land-based equipment often cannot get to the flames.

The drones being used a method called Dragon eggs, similar to ping-pong balls but filled with potassium permanganate powder and injected with glycol and dropped to the target site.

The balls ignite about 30 seconds after injection to start a controlled fire.

Anatomy of a wildfire:

The FHP said Saturday that troopers, along with U.S. Park Rangers, were monitoring the wildfire along 41 in Collier County. All lanes were open, as of noon, however the FHP said there may be periodic closures later Saturday.
Submitted
/
Special to WGCU
The FHP said Saturday that troopers, along with U.S. Park Rangers, were monitoring the wildfire along 41 in Collier County. After closing the route at 3 p.m., the FHP announced it's reopening shortly before 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

Road closures remain in effect west of 11 Mile Road, east of Monument Trail, and south of Mud Lake, Little Deer, Oasis Trail and Lost Dog, including the Florida Trail from the Oasis Visitor Center.

Environmental reporting for WGCU is funded in part by VoLo Foundation, a non-profit with a mission to accelerate change and global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, enhancing education, and improving health. 

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