Firefighters 'extremely concerned' over expected dangerous fire conditions in St. Lucie, Indian River

UPDATES

6:50 p.m.: The wildfire in St. Lucie County is 100 percent contained, the Forest Service announced.

4:50 p.m.: Yunas said at 4:30 p.m. the Indian River County fire was holding at 380 acres and 75 percent containment and the St. Lucie blaze at 200 acres with 70 percent containment.

“Everything is looking good so far,” Yunas said of the St. Lucie County fire. “The fire is holding. ... I don’t even see any smoke as of now.”

3:54 p.m.: Florida Forest Service spokeswoman Melissa Yunas said five bulldozers, including two from Orlando, are coming in to help battle the brush fire in Indian River County.

3:30 p.m.: There are 4 brush trucks (2 from St. Lucie County Fire District and 2 from DEP); 2 bulldozers from Florida Forest Service and 1 tanker truck from the Fire District, said Melissa Yunas of the Florida Forest Service.

2:46 p.m.: Dave Grubich of the Florida Forest Service mid-afternoon pointed out the specific pine tree struck by lightning Tuesday that caused the fire.

“This spot right here is exactly where this fire started. It was a lightning strike … the night before,” Grubich said. “It actually sat in here for probably a good 24 hours before it reared its ugly head and took off.”

The tree was amid a charred landscape of burned vegetation, a short drive north of Becker Road on an apparent access road.

He said they get special training on identifying the origin of fires. Years of experience also help.

“I love finding the origins on all my fires," he said.

2:06 p.m.: Melissa Yunas of the Florida Forest Service said the 380-acre fire in Indian River County is “doing rather well.”

“They’re saying that there’s minimal amount of smoke at this time and it’s still 75 percent contained,” Yunas said.

Yunas said it is not impacting Interstate 95.

“Firefighters feel like they have enough resources on scene right now,” she said.

2:03 p.m.: Melissa Yunas of the Florida Forest Service said the wildfire north of Becker Road near Gilson Road is estimated at 200 acres. It hasn’t grown, but firefighters were able to get around the perimeter and map it accurately. It remains 70 percent contained.

“We are experiencing some rekindling of the vegetation as anticipated,” Yunas said. “But we have enough manpower and equipment on scene to quickly suppress it, between the St. Lucie County Fire District and Florida Forest Serivce, county and state fire fighters are quickly suppressing any hotsopts that rekindle.”

Yunas said the humidity is dropping and the winds are starting to pick up.

“We’re definitely going to see some activity later this afternoon into the early evening,” she said.

The fire could jump Becker Road, noting ash could rain down.

“It could catch the woods on fire across the street,” she said.

1:43 p.m.: Firefighters reported a small rekindle of the Palma Wildfire attributed to low relative humidity, higher winds and dry vegetation. Firefighting bulldozers are making their way to the fire.

12:45 p.m.: Palma Wildfire has been mapped at 200 acres and is 70 percent contained.

10:52 a.m.: The Fellsmere Police Department reported it also is monitoring all developments on the SunnyB wildfire in north Indian River County. The fire is within the city limits and includes a portion of the Sand Lake Conservation area.

10:39 a.m.: Yunas said the humidity is supposed to go down and the winds are supposed to pick up Thursday afternoon, both of which do not work in firefighters’ favor.

“We’re concerned,” Yunas said. “We’re extremely concerned.”

She said the terrain is very challenging in the fire north of Becker Road, known as the Palma Wildfire. There are ponds and melaleuca trees, which have papery bark that “flows ahead of the main fire.”

“Conditions are ripe for this thing to possibly jump Becker today, but we’re going to try to do everything we can for it not to happen,” Yunas said.

Yunas said additional firefighting resources are coming to the area from North Florida to help.

More: Smoke from wildfires can pose some health risks

“We’re ready,” Yunas said. “We’re prepared.”

She did not begrudge those who self-evacuated Wednesday.

"We’re actually happy about that. If you feel threatened, then you should evacuate yourself and that’s fine,” she said.

She said that should be a good lesson for anyone on the Treasure Coast.

“If you feel threatened please evacuate," Yunas said. "Don’t wait until a sheriff’s deputy knocks on your door.”

10:12 a.m.: A heavy smoke smell was present Thursday morning along Becker Road in the area of Gilson Road. Light smoke also was wafting across the street. Both Port St. Lucie police and Florida Forest Service officials are at the scene.

An attempt to get into the gated Harbour Ridge community where several residents self-evacuated Wednesday evening was unsuccessful.

10:10 a.m.: Melissa Yunas, of the Florida Forest Service, said the fire in Indian River County is still 380 acres and 75 percent contained.

“We’re very concerned about that one,” she said.

She said equipment is being brought in from North Florida and most of that equipment is going to that fire.

“There is a good chance that that fire could easily rekindle and we could shut down I-95 again if we do not get back on that fire and get those lines contained,” Yunas said.

10:05 a.m.: “Basically it’s a little sleeping giant,” said Dave Grubich, forest ranger with the Florida Forest Service. “We put it down last night. And we had it contained.”

He said the fire is 70 percent contained.

“What we’re worrying about today is the wind has changed so we’re dealing with a different wind from a different direction,” Grubich said.

Ponds and other things in the area create difficulties.

At the moment there is no danger to structures, but with changing conditions, that could change.

Grubich said they want to prevent the fire from crossing Becker Road “and becoming a whole new separate issue.”

“If it does get out, it could be a problem,” he said.

Challenging issues include the terrain, debris blown down by last year's hurricane and switching wind.

9:50 a.m.: Indian River County crews are responding to the burn west of Interstate 95 after a flare-up occurred Thursday morning. Embers from the fire floated across I-95 and ignited the median at milemarker 152 south of County Road 512.

The flames were contained and the interstate remains open.

9:40 a.m.: Wildfire fire activity has started to increase at the Palma fire in St. Lucie County. Firefighting bulldozers are removing fuel and circling the fire to stop its spread, according to Florida Forest Service.

9:15 a.m.: "It's a little sleeping giant," Dave Grubich, forest ranger with Florida Forest Service said about conditions Thursday morning. Dry vegetation, low humidity and winds can cause the fires to accelerate at a moment's notice

EARLIER STORY

Lightning ignited three major fires in Indian River and St. Lucie counties Wednesday, prompting an overnight battle by firefighters and forestry crews to extinguish the flames.

Becker Road in St. Lucie and Interstate 95 from State Road 60 to County Road 512 in Indian River County were shut down as thick smoke filled the air. They reopened by 1 a.m. Thursday, but the burns remained through the night.

More: Some in St. Lucie evacuate homes after lightning-caused wildfires; all roads now open

Twenty-six Indian River Fire Rescue personnel were on scene with six brush trucks, eight engines and two battalion chiefs to combat the flames, which broke out about 3 p.m. Wednesday. Crews cleared out about midnight, according to Assistant Chief Cory Richter.

The fires are expected to continue throughout Thursday as shifting winds and thick vegetation fuel the flames, according to the Florida Forest Service.

The largest of the fires, which burned 380.3 acres in Indian River County, was 75 percent contained by Thursday morning, while another blaze in St. Lucie County that burned through 80 acres Wednesday remained 70 percent contained.

Melissa Yunas, spokeswoman for the Florida Forest Service, said crews will continue to hold back the burn to that degree as weather conditions fight to rekindle the flames.

"Shifting winds, higher wind speed and the potential for escapes is higher due to weather," she said in an email.

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The fires were caused by Tuesday's thunderstorms, which incubated overnight and broke out when conditions dried up Wednesday.

"Lightning strikes can smolder for days then, under the right weather conditions, ignite the dry vegetation on fire," the Forest Service said in a release.

A red flag warning was issued for Indian River County Wednesday after a cold front brought dry and windy conditions conducive for the spread of wildfires. The warning is in effect from noon until 8 p.m. Thursday. Winds are forecast to gust 10 to 15 mph.

The Forest Service reported 20 homes in Harbor Ridge were saved from St. Lucie's 80-acre Palma fire near Becker Road, east of Florida's Turnpike.

The burn, which remains in the wooded area between Horbor Ridge and The Tesoro Club, continues to smolder as crews work to bulldoze the vegetation surrounding it.

Another 20-acre burn in Indian River county was completely contained by 6:15 p.m. Wednesday.

No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported, according to Yunas.

There are 41 active wildfires throughout Florida, State Forester Jim Karels said in a news release Thursday.

The Florida Forest Service has battled over 700 wildfires across the state this year. Most of them have been caused by escaped yard trash burns, he said.