Tyler Grade fire nearly contained

By Ira Mikell, Free Press Reporter

May 07, 2008 03:00 pm

— Residents in Gilchrist County are breathing a sigh of relief after learning a large brushfire near Trenton is nearly contained.
The fire, located four miles north of Trenton off CR 47 on Tyler Grade Road, created havoc for fire officials and other agencies for several weeks. It grew to approximately 800 acres.
According to Ludie Bond, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Forestry, the incident began as a small brushfire of two acres on April 15. As the fire grew, smoke drifted overnight on Wednesday, April 30, to the southern part of Lafayette County. On Thursday, May 1, the smoke had spread throughout Mayo. Conditions improved throughout the afternoon.
Assisting each other at the scene were the Florida Highway Patrol, Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Forestry, Gilchrist County Emergency Management, and 10 volunteer fire departments.
At this time, according to Bond, the fire is 79 percent contained and fire officials are working to make sure the fire is completely out. Bond said residents are fortunate the fire did not spread further. There were no evacuations, no roads were closed, and no structures were threatened, he said.
Bond reminds residents in Gilchrist County as well as surrounding counties of Lafayette, Dixie, Levy, Columbia, Suwannee and Alachua about the possibility of smoke drifting into their area again, depending on the direction of the wind as well as if the fire flares up again.