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More Than 2,000 Acres Burned By Wildfires At Big Cypress National Preserve, Just 15 Percent Containment

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Published Date

May 12, 2015
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Lightning strikes are responsible for the Mud Lake complex of fires at Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida/NPS
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A complex of fires at Big Cypress National Preserve has burned more than 2,000 acres/NPS map

A wildfire complex at Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida has burned more than 2,000 acres, with firefighters having to cope with thunderstorms expected to bring more lightning to the preserve.

"Our firefighters are working hard to protect people and infrastructure and manage smoke in the fire area," said Jon Wallace, the incident commander on the fires. "Fires like the Mud Lake Complex happen every year in South Florida. We are working to manage the fires effectively while still maintaining a healthy fire-adapted ecosystem." 

The Mud Lake Wildfire Complex, 30 miles east of Naples, Florida , covered approximately 2,077 acres in the preserve. The fires -- Ellison, Ellipse, Mist, Circle, Square, and Triangle -- were ignited by lightning strikes, according to park officials.

Fire personnel were working to limit smoke impacts to Interstate 75. Rain was forecast to move through the fire area Tuesday afternoon. However, high temperatures and gusty winds were expected to increase fire activity and may make fire control efforts difficult, park officials said, adding that the storms were expected to bring more lightning through the preserve.

All areas of Big Cypress Preserve remain open at this time.

As of Monday night, 73 personnel had been assigned to the fire complex from various interagency wildland fire crews representing the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Florida Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs Seminole Tribe.

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