The largest wildfire currently burning in the U.S. is unfortunately at The Big Cypress National Preserve in south Florida (sandwiched between the Everglades and the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve), with over 35,000 of the Preserve's 700,000+ acres burned. Started by lightning strikes earlier in the month, weeks later, it is still only half-contained. Smoke from the now multiple fires has carried 100+ miles to other Florida cities. More here:
http://www.coastalbreezenews.com/2015/05/28/wildfire-in-big-cypress/
http://www.winknews.com/2015/05/28/largest-wildfire-in-u-s-continues-to-burn-30-miles-from-naples/
The Big Cypress was home to Ivory-bills in the distant past, and even the setting for a 1996 novel about Ivory-bill rediscovery.
Best of luck to the firefighters and all involved!....
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1 comment:
was on this fire as a Resource Adviser, and for the most part fortunately would have been better than "unfortunately" in your first sentence. "lightning strikes" is the first clue that this might not be so bad, and despite being in severe drought, thoughtful management and an empowered group of resource advisers likely made this fire more beneficial than harmful in most areas. That other woodpecker, the red-cockaded will probably benefit greatly, and local staff from the preserve helped mitigate most of the likeliest damage; over aggressive suppression actions.
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