Forest fires put Florida in a state of emergency *

Smoke chokes part of parched Florida; some rain may fall Sunday

BY SUSANNE CERVENKA, KAUSTUV BASU and REBECCA ADAMUS
FLORIDA TODAY

Scorched. A firefighter checks out an area where a wildfire burned brush
near Royal Trails, Fla., in the Volusia-Flagler County area. AP

:40 a.m.: Grant Road fire under control, haze not big issue

A 40-acre brush fire that broke out Thursday evening remains under
control this morning, according to Brevard County Fire-Rescue. The fire
broke out near Grant Road and Interstate 95. The Florida Division of
Forestry continues to monitor the area.

No reports of haze or smoke issues in Brevard, neither from fires raging
to the north of the county nor from last night’s Malabar fire, have been
reported this morning, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

Although the smoke is dense up north, causing at least one minor car
accident on the Mims portion of State Road 46 this morning, it has not
affected Brevard.

"It hasn't settled quite as far south this morning. There is a light
haze, but the real dense smoke is up north," said senior National
Weather Forecaster Tony Cristaldi.

The light haze is expected to vanish this afternoon when winds blow in
from the east, he added.

Earlier story: Fire worries grow in Florida

A quickly contained 40-acre brush fire broke out near Grant Road and
Interstate 95 on Thursday evening, but haze from nearby wildfires could
cover Brevard County again this morning, as local fire officials work to
keep the parched area from erupting in flames.

Meanwhile, Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency Thursday as
more wildfires ignited across the state. As of Thursday evening, 95
wildfires were active in Florida and have consumed 11,131 acres.

Dry weather conditions were in the forecast and danger for wildfires
will increase during the next 90 days, so responsible agencies will need
additional authority and firefighting resources, the order said.

"What that does is it allows additional resources to be applied to the
fire," said Brian McKee, state officer in charge at the Florida Division
of Forestry.

The most significant impact will be that the National Guard will be able
to assist in fighting the fires, McKee said.

The Brevard fire began about 6 p.m. near a Malabar rest area at mile
marker 168 on I- 95.

District Chief Bob Thirkelson said the fire had been 95 percent
contained by 8:30 p.m. and should not spread.

"We are going to stay with it," he said. "We are going to make it nice
and cold on the perimeter, but the interior will smolder.

"Smokey conditions are likely to prevail on the interstate."

Additional FHP patrols have been requested to monitor the situation this
morning.

Residents of Whynot Drive were nervous as the flames came within a
quarter mile of their homes Thursday.

"The tanker trucks just came out and it looks like they're going back in
to fight it some more," said Patrick Price, 47, a construction
supervisor. "They just put us on alert. They may ask us to leave."

Brevard fire officials expect outbreaks today as parts of the state see
multiple brush fires.

For the next day or two, wind could sweep smoke into Brevard from a
2,200-acre wildfire along the Flagler-Volusia border, said Tim Sedlock,
a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

That blaze was less aggressive Thursday, allowing firefighters to beat
back the flames, Division of Forestry spokesman Timber Weller said.

"They've made very good progress establishing lines," he said.

If weather predictions for that area hold, firefighters could have the
fire contained within the next couple days, Weller said.

At least one local fire official was called to assist about 80
firefighters to the north.

Ron Weis, area supervisor for the Florida Division of Forestry in
Brevard, got a call Thursday afternoon sending him to Volusia County. He
said he will remain there at least two weeks or until the fire is out.

Meanwhile Brevard County Fire-Rescue officials constantly monitor the
local fire threat, spokesman Orlando Dominguez said.

Residents who see signs of fire should not assume the smoke is from
elsewhere, Dominguez said. Conditions are ripe in Brevard County for
brush fires, and firefighters would rather check out a sighting of smoke.

"We certainly don't want anyone to drop their guard," he said. "We don't
want anyone to say, 'This is just haze from somewhere else' and then
there's a fire."

Officials work closely with meteorologists to monitor the fire
conditions, he said.

That threat has reached severe levels.

The Keech-Byram Drought Index, the key indicator for fire threat, showed
an average of 612 for Brevard County on Thursday with ranges from 546 to
689. That was up from Wednesday's average of 608.

The index ranges from 0 to 800, with 800 the most severe threat.

Today brings a less than 25 percent chance of thundershowers, while
Sunday holds the best chance for any significant rain, with a 30 to 40
percent possibility, Sedlock said.

"It's not going to be a drought buster," he said.

The prediction brings its own fire threat, Sedlock said. Lightening can
ignite parched land.