Tyler fire 85 percent

By Ira Mikell, Free Press Reporter

May 14, 2008 05:41 pm

— Fire officials in Gilchrist County are getting closer to extinguishing the Tyler Grade fire that began April 15 and grew to more than 800 acres.
According to Ludie Bond, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Forestry, containment is at 85%. In a recent email interview, she also said fire crews are working hard to put out hot spots in the area, despite extreme working conditions.
“It’s contained, but not extinguished, because of the heavy fuel loads in the interior of the fire. We need several inches of rain over several days for that. Crews continues to monitor the fire,” Bond said.
Sometime late Monday evening, May 12, according to the Florida Highway Patrol, a portion of SR 26 and CR 129 were closed due to smoke returning to the area. It was later reopened after the smoke had cleared.
Until the fire is completely out, Bond reminds everyone that smoke from the fire could drift anytime, day or night, into portions of Gilchrist County as well as its surrounding counties of Lafayette, Dixie, Alachua, Columbia, Levy, and Suwannee.