Florida Keys Fire Map, Update As Blaze Spreads Near Miami-Dade

A wildfire has burned through around 3,600 acres in Miami-Dade County, to the north of Florida Keys, according to the Florida Forest Service, with part of Card Sound Road closed on Tuesday evening.

Newsweek contacted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for comment on Wednesday via email.

Why It Matters

The U.S. has been struck by a number of devastating wildfires in recent months, with a series of blazes in Southern California during January killing 29 people and destroying 13,000 homes and businesses, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Florida is in the middle of its wildfire season, which typically spans October through May, and there are concerns that the blaze could spread further potentially endangering life and property.

What To Know

The most-recent Florida Forest Service update, published at 11:12 p.m. local time on Tuesday, said that the wildfire in Miami-Dade County, which has been named 'The 344,' was 20 percent contained, having burned across 3,600 acres of land.

On Tuesday, the fire closed down Florida's famed 18-Mile Stretch, a section of US-1 linking southern Florida to the Keys, along with Card Sound Road. Miami-Dale Fire Rescue said it was responding to the incident and that no casualties had been reported as of shortly before 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

According to local network NBC 6 South Florida, Miami-Dade County is unusually dry, with a 3.5-to-4.5-inch rainfall deficit since January 1, meaning moderate to severe drought conditions are in place.

The fire was fanned on Tuesday by powerful northeast winds, though these are expected to lose much of their strength on Wednesday, making them less of an issue.

A separate wildfire, named Johnson, also broke out on Tuesday further west in the direction of the Everglades National Park. The Western Fire Chiefs Association, which provides a map monitoring wildfires, said that the blaze had spread over 1,900 acres and was zero percent contained as of late Tuesday.

What People Are Saying

On Tuesday, the Hotshot Wake Up X account, which has 33,800 followers and monitors wildfires on the platform, shared footage taken by a subscriber, which showed the 344 fire running near a road.

The post read: "The 344 Road Fire in Miami Dade county Florida, made an 8 mile run to the West today. One firefighter told me, 'It'll stop when it hits the Everglades National Park tomorrow.'

"The fire jumped both Card Sound and US 1, and traffic in and out of the Keys has become a gridlocked mess. Thanks to the subscriber who shared this view of the fire tonight."

Also on Tuesday, the Florida Keys Sheriff's Office shared a still photograph of the fire on X, adding: "Miami-Dade brush fire near 18-Mile Stretch. The Stretch and Card Sound Road still closed."

The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department said: "Due to the fire, those in the area may experience hazy and smoky conditions. We remind anyone suffering from respiratory conditions to limit their exposure to smoke, especially if they are at increased risk for particle-related effects.

"Keep your vehicle windows closed and run your air conditioner on recirculate to keep the air inside the vehicle as clean as possible."

What Happens Next

The wildfire is expected to continue burning on Wednesday, though lighter winds compared to Tuesday may somewhat slow down its spread. Local authorities will continue monitoring the blaze and will close local roads as necessary.