Residents in parts of Marion, Volusia and Lake counties may hear a few loud booms this week.See a story filmed during a previous bombing exercise in the video player above.The U.S. Navy is dropping live bombs on the Ocala National Forest this week as part of a series of training exercises that will last through Saturday. “Residents around Lake, Marion, and Volusia Counties can expect to hear loud explosions, usually between the hours of noon and midnight, for the next few days,” the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said. The range complex is about 2 miles west of the Camp Ocala campgrounds and near several hiking trails.The Pinecastle Bombing Range is an un-fenced 5,760-acre area, with the eastern edge of the range located about 2 miles west of State Road 19 and the Camp Ocala campgrounds, and one-half mile west of the Farles Lake campground. F-18 jet fighters and other aircraft take off from Jacksonville Naval Air Station, fly low over the Forest, and drop their bombs in the middle 450 acres of the range.The explosions and loud noises may push wildlife out of the forest and onto nearby roads.

Residents in parts of Marion, Volusia and Lake counties may hear a few loud booms this week.

See a story filmed during a previous bombing exercise in the video player above.


The U.S. Navy is dropping live bombs on the Ocala National Forest this week as part of a series of training exercises that will last through Saturday.

“Residents around Lake, Marion, and Volusia Counties can expect to hear loud explosions, usually between the hours of noon and midnight, for the next few days,” the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.

The range complex is about 2 miles west of the Camp Ocala campgrounds and near several hiking trails.

The Pinecastle Bombing Range is an un-fenced 5,760-acre area, with the eastern edge of the range located about 2 miles west of State Road 19 and the Camp Ocala campgrounds, and one-half mile west of the Farles Lake campground.

F-18 jet fighters and other aircraft take off from Jacksonville Naval Air Station, fly low over the Forest, and drop their bombs in the middle 450 acres of the range.

The explosions and loud noises may push wildlife out of the forest and onto nearby roads.