Wildfire Alert

County: St. Lucie County

Heather
3/24/2013:1425

Wildfire Summary:
4/22/2013 at 5:45pm the Heather Wildfire was CONTROLLED = DEAD OUT. Recent rainfall has saturated the forest floor penetrating deep into the soil and root systems. Every day this past month, the Florida Forest Service has been patrolling, monitoring and mopping up. For the last 5 days, there have been no visible smoke columns and no underground hot spots. Grasses, vines and palmetto shrubs are all recovering 1 month after the wildfire. The forest floor is littered with pine needles and there is a projected 70% pine tree mortality in the woods near the communities. If the wildfire did not directly kill the pine trees, now the pine trees are susceptible to bark beetles. Historical Information 4/11/13 Heather Wildfire has had a small rekindled on east side of Bald Cypress Road on Indrio Savannahs Preserve County Parcel. The 20mph winds swirled spreading hot ash into unburned vegetation creating active flames = 0.20 acres. 3/31/13 Historical Information - Heather wildfire rekindled today around 4:31pm. 20 mph hour winds stirred up the hot ash smoldering for days from the original fire. The 120 acre wildfire was spreading to the west and northwest. The wildfire flanked US1 and threatened the mobile home community to the NORTH of the intersection of Indrio Road & US1. The homes were NOT evacuated but St. Lucie County Fire District conducted structure protection. This community was evacuated last Sunday. 3/24/13- Southside of Indrio Road a wildfire was ignited. The high winds pushed the wildfire southwest. The fire jumped Indrio Road. There were several communities threatened, over 1,000 homes were SAVED. The forward spread of the fire is contained. The fire is NOT controlled=DEAD OUT! Injury/Damage/Destroyed Assessment: 2 minor injuries of homeowners 9 homes had damage Several outbuilding destroyed (sheds, barns, garages)

Name of Fire: Date Reported: Acreage:

360

Containment %: CONTROLLED=DEAD OUT Threatened: SAVED Evacuations: 1,000 homes

only on 3.24.13-

2,500 residents were evacuated by St. Lucie County Sherriff and Fort Pierce Police

Fire Cause: Lightning Type of Vegetation: & Swamp , Pine Trees Palmetto

Location: Indrio Road east of Kings HWY & west of US1 Personnel on Scene: Florida Forest Service St. Lucie County Fire District St. Lucie Emergency Mgmt Ft. Pierce Police Department St. Lucie County Sherriff Florida Highway Patrol Red Cross St. Lucie County ERD

Reported from: Melissa Yunas, Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Okeechobee District, Florida Forest Service
Cell (772) 260-0053 Follow me on Twitter @FFS_Okeechobee