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Highlands Today

Brush Fire Contained, But Smoke Lingers

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: March 17, 2009

SEBRING - Smoke from Saturday's brush fire that endangered Lakeshore Mall and the nearby post office was still visible Monday morning and probably will be for several weeks.

The fire is contained, but not out, according to Chief Scott Mann with the West Sebring Fire Department. Instead, it continues to burn under a mucky area that firefighters cannot get to.

Members of the Florida Division of Forestry made three control lines around the fire and firefighters are going out with brush trucks at least three times a day to make sure it doesn't get out of control, according to Mann.

"It's going to be smoky for some time," he said.

Chief Brad Batz, with the city of Sebring Fire Department, said the Division of Forestry had done some back burning to take out fuel from the control line. He also seconded Mann's assessment that the fire and smoke would linger for the foreseeable future.

"When it gets into that muck, it can get deep into the ground," Batz said. "You've just got to wait for it to burn out."

That smoke could be a problem for residents who suffer from respiratory conditions like asthma or emphysema.

Linda Hendrixson, director of nursing for the Highlands County Health Department's Sebring office, said sufferers could experience an increase in shortness of breath, coughing and general difficulty with breathing.

"If they're in an area that has a lot of smoke, they're probably best to stay in an air conditioned environment," Hendrixson said.

Wind conditions are blowing that "nuisance smoke" in a north/northeast direction toward the area of Sebring Hills, according to Mann.

The trouble began Saturday at 1 p.m., when the West Sebring Fire Department got the call about a grass fire around a Flare Road fireworks warehouse.

It was contained before it could get inside the concrete block buildings, but not before jumping Flare Road and - propelled by wind - speeding across a dense brush behind Alan Jay Nissan.

The Division of Forestry used bulldozers to establish fire lines, but the flames had jumped those ditches by 2:30 p.m.

At 3:30 p.m., the evacuation of Lakeshore Mall was ordered, according to office manager Lew Williams.

"The fire department and the sheriff's (office) requested that we go ahead and close due to the smoke and embers," he said.

William estimated that between 300 and 500 employees and shoppers were inside the mall when the evacuation was ordered. It was reopened at 5:45 p.m., but by then, most of the tenants had sent their employees home. Only Kmart, J.C. Penney and Belks continued with business.

Firefighters stayed on the mall's roof until after 7 p.m., on Saturday, watching for hot embers from the brush, palmettos, palms and pines trees that had been ablaze for more than six hours. There were 17 acres that burned, according to Mann.

On Monday, Williams said there were no reports of substantial damage within the mall.

"We're still waiting on the roof of the Kmart store," Williams said. "We did have some embers light up there."

As the wildfire season continues, the Florida Division of Forestry has a number of tips for homeowners to help protect their home from a blaze:

• Create a "defensible space" of at least 30 feet around the house that is mowed regularly.

• Prune tree limbs within the defensible space to 15 feet or lower so lower limbs will not become "ladder fuels" that can carry a fire to the roof.

• Keep the roof and gutters free of accumulated leaves so the roof cannot be set on fire by firebrands or embers carried by the wind.

• Keep a shovel, rake and ladder in a readily accessible area, and 50 to 100 feet garden hose attached to an outside faucet.

• Make sure the home address is visible at the street or road on a non-combustible sign so firefighters can quickly find the home in an emergency.

• Keep tree limbs at least 15 feet away from chimney outlets

• Replace wood shingle or wood shake roofs with fire-retardant shingles, metal or tile roofs.

Highlands Today reporter Gary Pinnell contributed to this report. Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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