A pair of wildfires that ignited over the weekend in the South Florida Everglades continued to spread Monday as fire crews, joined by the National Guard, worked to contain the blazes amid smoky conditions and reduced visibility.
The larger of the two fires has grown to approximately 5,600 acres, or about 2,300 hectares, in an undeveloped area southwest of Fort Lauderdale, officials said. Containment on that fire reached 30% by Monday. The Florida Forest Service posted on Facebook that containment operations were increasing despite the challenging conditions.
Fire rescue crews were also fighting a second, 300-acre blaze — roughly 120 hectares — in southern Miami-Dade County near Homestead. That fire was also 30% contained, officials said.
The National Guard is assisting state and local firefighters with the response, according to the Florida Forest Service. No serious injuries or property damage have been reported from either fire.
The dry conditions that contributed to the South Florida fires have fueled wildfires in other parts of the country. Fires destroyed dozens of homes in southern Georgia last month, highlighting the broader fire risk across the Southeast as drought conditions persist.