FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A wildfire in the Florida Everglades has almost doubled in size in the past day.
The Florida Forest Service on Tuesday tweeted that the blaze had grown to 31,500 acres (12,750 hectares) and is only about a third contained.
UPDATE: #SawgrassFire is 32,000 acres and 30% contained.@FLForestService on-site assets: fixed-wing aircraft, fire engines & trucks, 7 wildland firefighters.@NIFCfire map shows hot spots. Follow @FFS_Everglades for latest, and @FLHSMV for I-75 & US-27 impact. pic.twitter.com/ijT9evURZ9
— FL Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services (@FDACS) June 25, 2019
The wildfire is located about 8 miles (13 km) west of the city of Weston. The fire's growth briefly shut down Alligator Alley before reopening.
Florida Forest Service officials confirmed lightning started the wildfire Sunday night just north of a busy stretch of Interstate 75 known as Alligator Alley and a few miles west of a state highway.
No buildings were in immediate danger.
