A wildfire burning on the west side of Flagler County has grown to over 250 acres in size, according to the latest updates from emergency response personnel. Several units are on-scene fighting the fire, and reports indicate that optimism is high that no people or structures will be endangered. Agencies on-scene fighting the fire include the Florida Forest Service and Flagler County Fire Rescue.
The blaze, known as the ‘Cowpen Fire’, is located in the southwest corner of Flagler County, off CR-305 just west of the Relay Wildlife Management Area. It’s not the only wildfire currently burning in Flagler, but it is the only one not fully contained. No injuries have been reported as of Friday morning and no structures have been threatened.
Battling the Cowpen Fire
“We had the county’s UAS drone team out last night with their infrared imaging to help us get an exact picture of what this fire looks like, and to make a plan moving forward,” said Flagler County Fire Chief Michael Tucker.
As of the latest update from the county government the fire has reached 90% containment, meaning wildland firefighters have plowed a perimeter around most of the fire’s area. Once it’s fully contained, the fire will burn through the remainder of flammable resources within that area until it no longer has fuel to continue. A contained wildfire presents minimal threat to public safety, though it will still be monitored and sprayed by firefighters until it’s fully extinguished.
“We will continue to assist Forestry with two attack [brush] trucks, one water tender, and one battalion,” said Flagler Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Brady Barry. “Forestry, the lead agency, has the bulk of the equipment and resources.” Two helicopters, an FFS unit from Ocala and Flagler County FireFlight, have been dropping water on the fire.
According to the county, the fire began on Thursday and grew rapidly from seven acres to 250 in only a matter of hours. A local state of emergency was declared and a burn ban was placed into effect for Flagler County on Tuesday due to dangerous fire conditions. The ban remains in effect as of Friday.
ⓒ Flagler County government
Burn Ban in Flagler County
“The conditions are becoming favorable for rapid fire growth so [the burn ban] will help,” Chief Tucker said. “In addition to the ban on burning, remember that a good offense is the best defense. Clear the area around your house of anything that will go up in flames easily – including stacks of firewood, portable propane tanks, and dead, dry vegetation.”
Under the burn ban, residents are prohibited from using fireworks, sparklers, flares, or other items with ‘explosive compounds’. Also barred is the usage of fire pits, outdoor cookers and grills except when constantly supervised by an adult, tossing matches and cigarettes out of vehicles, and parking vehicles with catalytic converters in areas with high grass.
“Additionally, do not store things under decks or porches, and consider using rocks or gravel in those areas instead of grass or mulch,” Chief Tucker added. “Wood-driven fires, like brushfires, create embers that can be carried quite far, and tend to find their way to the same nooks and crannies where leaves accumulate.”
