Big Cypress National Preserve

Naples resident Jake Waleri, who is 22 and an amateur python hunter, caught a world-record 19-footer with some friends earlier this month in the Big Cypress National Preserve.

Temporary trail closures are in effect to promote visitor safety during prescribed fire activity currently being conducted and continuing through June 18, 2023. During the closure all recreational use including off-road vehicles, hiking, camping, hunting and commercial activities are prohibited in the designated areas.

Big Cypress National Preserve has issued temporary trail closures for visitor safety during prescribed fire activity beginning Monday and continuing through June 18, for the East Hinson and Airplane areas.

With more than half of the nearly 20,000-acre Sandy Fire now contained officials on Monday rescinded the evacuation plan put in place days ago. All residents within the impacted area have been updated on the change in evacuation status.

As of Sunday night, the Sandy Fire was reported at 19,814 acres and 45% contained. Ground and aviation resources will continue operations Monday, continuing to hold and improve control lines around the fire.

The Florida Highway Patrol closed a 58-plus mile portion of 41, from Krome Avenue in Dade to State Road 29 in Collier on Friday and Saturday to ensure the safety of travelers as well as for the firefighters working along the roadside.Friday's closure ran several hours and the FHP on Saturday said it anticipated another multi-hour closure.

The nearly two-week long Sandy Fire in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County burned closer to U.S. 41 Friday prompting the Florida Highway patrol to issue a closure order.Containment on the wildfire has increased as crews tied control lines into U.S. 41 on the east flank of the fire. The fire grew several thousand acres from Wednesday into Thursday and was at 15,130 acres and 30% contained.

As disruptive as a wildfire can be, a forest fire is not only important to the ecosystem in which it burns, but is integral to slowing climate change.

The Sandy Fire in the southeastern portion of the Big Cypress National Preserve has grown over 11,000 acres and fire officials have activated a second phase of evacuation plans for those living within the affected area.The wildfire began May 1 as a 50-acre blaze in an area of the preserve between I-75 to then north and U.S. 41 to the south.

Firefighters worked through the night Tuesday on the 10,551-acre wildfire growing in the Big Cypress National Preserve east of Naples, a tactic that appears to be working as control of the Sandy Wildfire rose from 5% to 15%.