Impact: Local Wildfires in Brevard & Volusia Counties 5/12/08

Local Florida Wildfires in Brevard and Volusia Counties 

Deneale K. Williams, Yahoo Contributor Network
May 12, 2008

Rockledge, Florida -- On Sunday, I saw and smelled smoke. I knew there was a fire somewhere close by. I live on the border of Rockledge and Cocoa. And with the way the winds were on Sunday, up to 23 miles an hour, the smell and smoke managed to make its way around towns.

 

 

As I write this, there are fires in Daytona, Cocoa and Palm Bay. Because of this, there are residents without power, up to 4,000 at one time, Flower Power and Light reported. I-95 is shut down in sections, as are several roads, including a section of State Route 524 in Cocoa and parts of US Highway 1. There have been evacuations, and the wind is only making it worse. There seems to be no promise of rain in the upcoming forecast, either.

Apparently the Cocoa fire started sometime Friday. Fire trucks were seen driving down State Route 520 from other locations, including Patrick Air Force Base. This is by London Blvd and Cox Road and State Route 524, of which many sections are now closed off. Residents have been asked to leave their homes. It is upsetting and scary at the same time. Seeing it was even worse. Certain parts of the skies were so black it looked like death itself was rolling in. Smoke was over top of many homes, thick and so very hard to breathe.


Watching the fire jump across the roads, as it did on Cox Road, was like watching a movie. It was so unreal looking; it was just overwhelming to everyone. Residents of Long Leaf Road, in Cocoa, were seen evacuating, scared and crying. A back fire was set by fire fighters in Cocoa on State Route 524 to help route the fire into a different direction.

The Palm Bay fire is said to be a brush fire. However, Palm Bay is not receiving a lot of help from surrounding fire departments because of the much bigger problems else where. The fire was spreading toward residences on Tudor Rd. Palm Bay Police and Fire Rescue did however manage to save a home and a shed on that same property. Residents were seen in TV footage carrying garden hoses, running around spraying their own roofs, as well as their neighbors'. The fire could be seen from Corey Road in Malabar.

When the news helicopters took video over top of Volusia County (Daytona) in the late evening, the video looked like you were viewing the planetarium sky, or a night sky. There were hot spots everywhere. Fire associates are digging and trying to make a pathway for the fire to follow to avoid homes. Much of what was on fire in Volusia County is dry dead brush. And as I have said, the wind just helps it keep spreading. Many helicopters were also seen dropping water on sections of the fire, in hopes of making an impact, too.

Many residents of these affected areas were interviewed, crying and praying. It is common for Florida to have these fires, and we know it, but it never stops the way it affects us. It is painful on everyone. On Interstate 95, it was near impossible to see, and on the sides, (where you park when you break down -- known as the emergency lane,) you could see people going in the opposite direction, to get away from the fires, because they could not go on, as the view was impossible as was the ability to even breathe.

Fire fighters are calling these multiple fires "suspicious." So far, in total there has been over 1,900 acres burnt, and with this dry air, winds and lack of rain, it is only a continued breeding ground for these fires.

People with asthma are advised to remain indoors, because inhaling the smoke is dangerous and can cause you to have an asthma attack, or more seriously, could provoke a trip to the hospital for breathing treatment. Take the necessary precautions.

On every TV station, when Brevard and Volusia County residents were shown the satellite view for our weather, it is so bad in the Daytona Voulisa area, that the smoke and clouds can be seen from the satellite, looking like rain clouds.

For those of you who have loved ones in this area, such as myself, I advise that you pray for their safety and well-being. And don't get frantic if they aren't answering their phones because it could be several things. Please remain calm, and try not to assume the worst.

It's times like these that make you think: If it isn't happening to you, just be grateful you are to be alive and safe. It is also times like these that make you feel unsafe and wonder from time to time, "Why don't I just move?" But on that same token, California has fires, and other places have earthquakes.

 Hawaii has volcanoes, and so on and so forth. So it isn't always a win-win situation.
I wish the best for all of the affected people in these fires, and our prayers are with you and your loved ones. Good luck one and all, and many thanks to all that helped, including the local police and fire officials.

Published by Deneale K. Williams