WILDFIRE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Melissa Yunas

February 11, 2019

(772) 260-0053

Twitter: @FFS_Okeechobee

Facebook: @FFSOkeechobee

Barn and a Trailer Saved from 25-Acre Wildfire

OKEECHOBEE, Fla.– On February 10, 2019 at 2:06 p.m., the Florida Forest Service and Okeechobee County Fire Rescue suppressed a 25-acre wildfire in the off N.E. 101 street, west of N.E. 128th Ave. Gusty winds blowing out of the south east at ten miles an hour spread the wildfire quickly in the dry grass (invasive cogongrass) fuels. With the quick response from county and state firefighters, an unoccupied barn, double-wide trailer and two campers were saved.

Fire Reported: 2/10/2019 at 12:22pm

Contained: 100%

Fire Cause: Under investigation

Threatening: Unoccupied barn, double-wide trailer and two camper trailers were saved.

Evacuations/Road Closures: Voluntary evacuations

Agencies on Scene: Okeechobee Fire Rescue with a type 6 engine, two pumpers, two tenders and an ambulance set-up structure protection, while two Florida Forest Service firefighting bulldozers with plows encircled the wildfire that created a containment line.

On Saturday, February 10, 2019, Okeechobee County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service suppressed a three-acre wildfire ignited by an abandon campfire in the Viking Community at the intersection of N.W. 192nd Ave and N.W. 256th Street.

Safety Message: “These two fires have been the result of careless behavior by people not obeying yard trash and campfire safety laws, including not extinguishing their fires properly or leaving them unattended,” explains Senior Forest Ranger Gary Davenport with the Florida Forest Service. “We are asking people to be vigilant about wildfire safety and if they see a fire that doesn’t look right or is unattended, please call 911 immediately.”

The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres. Learn more at FloridaForestService.com.

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