Wildfires grow to over 81k acres in Collier County

A total of 81,454 acres is under fire while only a combined 5% is contained in the Big Cypress National Preserve, according to the Avian Complex.

Below are a list of fires burning and containment levels :

• Buzzard Fire: 61,477 acres, 8% contained
• Flamingo Fire: 11,640 acres, 5% contained
• Curlew Fire: 8,339 acres, 15% contained
• Vulture Fire: 1 acre, 100% contained
• Caracara Fire: 1 acre, 100% contained

A smoke advisory was issued Friday night for motorist along Hwy, 41, SR-29 and I-75 between Big Cypress National Preserve and Naples.

We expect smokey conditions to remain all weekend as 48,000 acres r burning in Collier. If you plan on traveling over Alligator Alley, expect delays, fires are impacting portions. Forecasts call for significant rainfall beginning on Sunday. We urge everyone to please be safe. pic.twitter.com/qUIgfkAZ2k

— North Collier Fire (@NCFRPio) May 11, 2018

The following closures are still in effect:

• Loop Road is closed from Monroe Station to the Everglades Education Center.
• Dona Drive is closed to all public access.
• Stairsteps: All lands in Zone 3. Zone 4 is closed to all public access by airboat
• Paces Dike off-road vehicles (ORVs)
• Roberts Lake Trail south from Loop Road
• Lands east of Turner River Rd., west of BICY’s eastern boundary and north of Hwy. 41
• The Florida National Scenic Trail is closed from the Oasis Visitor Center to I-75 mile marker 63
• All BICY lands north of I-75 between Hwy. 29 and Bundschu Grade