The brush fire in the Starkey Wilderness Preserve in Pasco County has grown to 2,275 acres, and is 75 percent contained. while voluntary evacuations have been lifted and the roads are back open, camping is canceled in Starkey Park through May 11.
- Voluntary evacuations no longer needed for Bexley Ranch subdivision
- Anclote Branch fire is in Starkey Wilderness Preserve
- Fire has grown to 2,275 acres, according to Florida Forest Service
- JUMP TO: Fires closed section of NB I-75 in Hillsborough
- RELATED:
Fire officials believe the fire will not grow further, but they are concerned that winds will pick up Monday. They hope to have the fire completely contained Monday.
Officials while the fire may not grow further, it will continue to smolder for days, up to the next 30 days. So residents might see and smell smoke, even after the fire is out.
There is no longer a need for voluntary evacuations of the Bexley Ranch subdivision and all residents can return home.
We got a peak inside the park--there's a lot of smoke and still live fire @BN9 pic.twitter.com/YhaIzUKw65
— Sara Belsole (@sbelsole) May 7, 2017
The Pasco Sheriff's Office has also reported that the Suncoast Parkway has reopened between SR 54 and SR 52.
Starkey Park and all bike trails into the park remain closed. All camping reservations in Starkey Park have been canceled through Thursday, May 11.
View from Bexley Ranch #AncloteBranch fire pic.twitter.com/rmZlPWrpVw
— Pasco County PIO (@PascoCountyPIO) May 6, 2017
Pasco County authorities had fire tanker plows, water trucks and helicopters dropping bucketloads of water from the air.
What fire officials need most is one thing firefighters can’t provide.
"We need a nice, steady rain over a long period of time that’ll actually get ground penetration and ground saturation," Pasco County Emergency Services Director Kevin Guthrie said.
Fires close northbound I-75
Elsewhere in Hillsborough County, three brush fires temporarily closed northbound Interstate 75 between Fletcher Avenue and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard. Sheriff's deputies, Tampa Police officers and Florida Highway Patrol troopers responded to the scenes.
The roadway has reopened.
Flatwoods Park was evacuated and closed.
No homes are currently threatened, Fire Rescue said.