A fire is burning through the Picayune Strand State Forest just a month after the last massive blaze.
A 220-acre fire is burning through the Picayune Forest, in east Collier County and, as of Monday afternoon, May 18, is continuing to spread. It is 15% contained, according to Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.
The fire is just east of the Azure community in Naples. Jesse Lavender with the Florida Forest Service said that the fire is moving quickly and that mandatory evacuations are a possibility soon.
Lavender said that manpower is at “full force” and several units from other districts are on the way to assist in containing the fire.
There have been no reported injuries or structures damaged as of 3:30 p.m. Monday.
The fire is moving toward structures, however, Lavender said.
The local government has not mandated evacuations, but surrounding communities are voluntarily evacuating. The Max Hasse Community Center has been established as a safe haven for those that choose to evacuate, Greater Naples Fire and Rescue reported.
Just one month ago, a huge fire burned through more than 1,700 acres of the Picayune Strand State Park.
The cause of that fire remains unknown. It took several days to contain the fire.
Picayune Strand State Forest is the fourth-largest state forest in Florida, named after several cypress strands on the eastern portion of the property.
The 74,138-acre forest has two tracts, the South Golden Gates Estates Tract and the Belle Meade Tract to the west.
Tayeba Hussein is a breaking news reporter for The News-Press & Naples Daily News. Reach her at thussein@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Naples fire growing quickly, moving toward buildings, Forest Service says
Reporting by Tayeba Hussein, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
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