Florida Department of Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam took a first-hand look Wednesday at firefighting efforts for the Greenway Fire, which has consumed more than 16,875 acres in Collier County.
"If it's spring and active wildfire season, you know we're going to be in Southwest Florida," Putnam said at a briefing in the Picayune Strand State Forest.
He said fire crews have been moved to the area from as far away as northern Florida to fight the wildfires in Collier County. The main effort is to keep the fire from spreading toward communities along Collier Boulevard, such as VeronaWalk and Winding Cypress. Firefighters are concerned about winds from the east and southeast that could push the fire toward the homes there.
"We are aggressively hardening our lines, trying to get ahead of these fires in the mornings, before the winds pick up in the afternoons and and cause conditions to deteriorate," Putnam said.
He urged residents to clear away any dry vegetation around their homes, and to use hoses and sprinklers to create moisture.
Over the weekend, one man's home on Sabal Palm Road was destroyed by the Greenway Fire. The Greater Naples Fire-Rescue District is requesting donations for Mark Irgang on their web site, GreaterNaplesFire.org.
Putnam said that the potential for some weekend weather could aid firefighters, but could also cause problems.
"That brings both rain, which means a little bit if relief, and lightning, which means we're going to be chasing new fires," he said.