For Immediate Release

May 20, 2014

Memorial Day Fires Part 1:
Equipment ignites Elvis Road
The days and weeks around the Memorial Day Holiday traditionally produce some of
the larger and more difficult wildfires for the Florida Forest Services Blackwater
District. This is the first part in a si!part series looking "ack at some of the more
memora"le fire events that have occurred around the holiday in the past few years.
ELIVS ROAD FIRE, May 21, 2012: At 55 acres, this fire was ignited by a hay mowing
operation and is the smallest fire in our series but the challenges were unique and
substantial.
As the fire started in the grass fields, it moved relatively quickly through the fine fuels and
spread to the east and south into the woods and toward several homes in the area. Grass
fires, while seemingly innocuous, can be some of the most difficult and dangerous fires our
firefighters face because of the rapid rate of spread and possibility for a change in direction
as quickly as the wind can shift.
Once the fire left the field, the problems had only just begun.
ith about a do!en homes in the woods abutting the grass field, firefighters had to cut
fences and find access through a ma!e of gates, driveways and backyards.
Once they were able to actually make their way to the fire, crews made good progress and
had the fire contained just " hours after receiving the initial call. Or so they thought.
# $%&T'&()D #
Joe Zwier!"ows#i
#nformation Officer$ildfire %itigation &pecialist
'lorida 'orest &ervice ( )lackwater 'orestry *enter
+,mail- .oe./wier!chowski0freshfromflorida.com
*ellular- 152,324,3455
Office- 152,655,47"2 e8t 735
A day later, a resident called in to report smoke in the area ( a routine issue with wildfire as
stumps and downed trees often smolder for days after the initial advancing fire has been
stopped. 9he pilot assigned to )lackwater was
on patrol of the three,county area and turned to
fly over the scene of the fire. 'rom the air, he
was able to see that the fire had indeed rekindled
and jumped across the fire lines from the day
before. *rews were back at it again and able to
keep the newly escaped fire to a minimum.
'or two weeks, crews would douse hot spots,
respond to calls from concerned residents about
flare ups and check the fire and its perimeter to
make sure everything was secure before finally
calling it 722: controlled on .une ", 3273.
MEMORA$LE FIRES ARO%&D MEMORIAL DA' (
RELEASE DA)E, FIRE &AME, DA)E OF FIRE
May 20: El*is Road Fire, May 21, 2012 (
Sa+ta Rosa ,o-+ty ( .. a!res
%ay 3;- Giese <ane 'ire %ay 35, 327; (
+scambia *ounty ( 327 acres
%ay 34- #ndian )ayou 'ire, %ay 35, 3272 (
&anta =osa *ounty ( ;52 acres
%ay 31- Avalon >angar 'ire %ay 36, 327; (
&anta =osa *ounty ( 755 acres
%ay 31- ?orth &anta =osa 'ires %ay 36,
327; ( &anta =osa *ounty ( 6 separate fires
in one general area for 34;.5 acres
%ay ;2- %ain @rive .une 3, 3277 ( Okaloosa
*ounty ( 65 acres
El*is Road
Fire
/0E&: %ay 37, 3273
/0ERE: +ast %ilton,
&anta =osa *ounty
D%RA)IO&: 75 days
SIZE: 55 acres
,A%SE: Agricultural
equipment ( a hay
mowing operation
sparked the fire.
E1%I2ME&)
RE1%IRED: 9wo
tractor$plow units, ''&
brush truck and fi8ed
wing aircraft as well as
multiple units from local
fire departments.
LESSO& LEAR&ED:
+quipment fires have
started 15 fires over the
past 72 years in the
)lackwater @istrict.
hile there was no fault
of the operator in the
+lvis =oad 'ire, it is
always a good idea to
carry a fire e8tinguisher
on you when operating
machinery. A simple
water or foam fire
e8tinguisher might have
stopped this fire before
- END