Emergency crews are continuing to battle two brush fires in western Miami-Dade County, with one near Northwest 137th Avenue and Northwest 41st Street, and the other near Northwest 122nd Avenue and Northwest 58th Street.
The first blaze, which broke out on Monday just west of Doral, is named the Quarry 2 fire. At the time of publication, it has consumed approximately 3,500 acres while at 20% containment, according to Florida’s active wildfire map. The Florida Forest Service’s Everglades unit and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue are working to control the flames, reporting that it does not currently threaten nearby residential structures.
The Well wildfire, which broke out about 24 hours after the first, sits at 450 acres and 10% containment as of Tuesday afternoon.
In addition to multiple ground crews, aviation units are flying overhead and using “Bambi buckets” to drop up to 300 gallons of water on the most intense areas of the fires. Drivers around the area are being advised to proceed with caution and expect reduced visibility due to the smoke.
What about the air quality?
While an official Air Quality Alert for both Miami-Dade and Broward counties expired at noon today as atmospheric conditions improved, respiratory hazards remain a concern. Shifting winds continue to push residual smoke into Doral and neighboring communities.
Residents in areas impacted by smoke are being asked to remain indoors if possible. Additionally, they should keep all doors and windows closed, ensure air conditioning systems are set to recirculate indoor air and avoid the immediate area of the fire to allow emergency personnel to work efficiently.
For updates on the fire, follow Miami-Dade Fire Rescue on socials and see the Florida Forest Service Active Wildfires Dashboard here. Air quality alerts can be monitored on AirNow.gov.
