The Florida Forest Service wildland firefighters built and improved containment lines around the fire and provided access for cooperating structure crews. Better access to the fire and GPS mapping reduced the size of the 14th Ave Fire to 900 acres and containment increased to 75%.
A structural protection group of a cooperating structure fire and Florida Forest Service dozers monitored hot spots and engaged flare-ups as needed.
Voluntary evacuations were lifted through the Collier County Sheriff’s Office at 4:00 pm EDT. We ask everyone to please stay clear of the area due to the many firefighters and large equipment working to protect persons and property.
Air Operations:
A Florida Forest Service helicopter assisted with the fire today, along with multiple local cooperating aircraft. Collier County Sheriff’s Office Air Rescue 1 completed 317 water drops over the course of the fire.
· NO DRONES IN THE FIRE ZONE! Do not fly drones near wildfires. Wildland firefighting aircraft are most effective with open airspace. Drones detected in their flight areas require aerial firefighting operations to cease until the airspace is cleared. This lost time puts firefighters, residents, and their homes at risk. Please remember, if you fly, we can’t! Flying recreational drones over or near wildfires could cause injury or death to firefighters and hamper the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. Individuals who interfere with wildfire suppression efforts may be subject to civil penalties and criminal prosecution.
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than 1 million acres of state forests and provides forest management assistance on more than 17 million acres of private and community forests. The Florida Forest Service is also responsible for protecting homes, forestland, and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire on more than 26 million acres. Learn more at FDACS.gov/FLForestService.