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The sixth and final part in our series looking back at significant fires centered around the Memorial Day holiday in the Florida Forest Service's Blackwater District.
The sixth and final part in our series looking back at significant fires centered around the Memorial Day holiday in the Florida Forest Service's Blackwater District.
The sixth and final part in our series looking back at significant fires centered around the Memorial Day holiday in the Florida Forest Service's Blackwater District.
Memorial Day Fires Part 6: A matter of when, not if it burns 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 sixth part in a six-part series looking back at some of the more memorable fire events that have occurred around the holiday in the past few years. MAIN DRIVE FIRE, June 2, 2011: Just as there are problem areas within the Blackwater District as far as fire occurrence and fire behavior are concerned, there also are areas where youre not as likely to see fire. Crestview is one such place. Just because an area has less problem fires than other areas doesnt mean it is exempt from them. The Main Drive Fire is proof that central Okaloosa County can and will burn. Okaloosa saw 17 wildfires from March to June of 2011 a relatively average run for that time of year. What made 2011 different was more the location of the fires. We had this fire and the Fairchild Fire at the airport, said Gary Holley, Forest Area Supervisor over Okaloosa County. As far as anybody can remember those were the two biggest fires (not on Eglin Air Force Base) weve had here. The Fairchild Fire came just two months prior and at 280 acres, was the largest fire in memory for Crestview. It centered around the Crestview airport having begun on the west side of the complex. High winds that day fanned the flames and drove embers and ash over the runway and sparked fires to the south and east almost a mile away.
CONTI NUED
Joe Zwierzchowski Information Officer/Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Florida Forest Service Blackwater Forestry Center E-mail: Joe.Zwierzchowski@freshfromflorida.com Cellular: 850-206-2675 Office: 850-957-6140 ext 127
With that recent blaze in mind and knowing the fire potential for the area, crews responded in pairs two tractors were dispatched just minutes after the call came in. We actually had people prestaged in Crestview, Holley said. We were still monitoring the area pretty heavily. Despite keeping a watchful eye on the area, this fire went undetected for a few days before showing itself. The cause remains listed as unknown but Holley believes kids or people riding ATVs in the area sparked the blaze. Thick fog in the mornings hid the smoke and kept fire activity to a minimum and it wasnt until an estimated three days after ignition the Forest Service was called in. Most of the acres in this fire came before we were notified, it had a pretty good head start on us, Holley said. Locating the fire turned out to be another problem. With minimal smoke showing and fire activity low, firefighters had to navigate a maze of four wheeler trails and footpaths just to locate the active portion of the fire. Once located, crews had the fire contained in a matter of hours but continued to monitor it for several days. MEMORABLE FIRES AROUND MEMORIAL DAY RELEASE DATE, FIRE NAME, DATE OF FIRE May 20: Elvis Road Fire, May 21, 2012 Santa Rosa County 55 acres May 23: Giese Lane Fire May 25, 2013 Escambia County 201 acres May 26: Indian Bayou Fire, May 27, 2010 Santa Rosa County 279 acres May 28: North Santa Rosa Fires May 29, 2013 Santa Rosa County 9 separate fires in one general area for 263.5 acres May 28: Avalon Hangar Fire May 29, 2013 Santa Rosa County 155 acres May 30: Main Drive June 2, 2011 Okaloosa County 95 acres
Main Drive Fire WHEN: June 2, 2011 WHERE: Main Drive (north of Crestview Airport), Okaloosa County DURATION: 11 days SIZE: 95 acres CAUSE: Unknown. EQUIPMENT REQUIRED: 5 tractor/plow units 1 brush truck 4 overhead personnel LESSON LEARNED: Every bit of Florida is susceptible to wildfire. It pays to be prepared. Visit firewise.org to learn how to protect your home from wildfire because its a matter of when, not if one happens.