PHOTO BY THE VOLUSIA COUNTY PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION
Fire crews from multiple agencies are battling a brush fire that has grown to more than 100 acres near the Mosaic Subdivision in Daytona Beach. Authorities evacuated approximately 80 homes on Monday as a precaution, with first responders going door to door on Fuschia Street and Cyan Avenue and sending residents to the LPGA clubhouse.
The Bennett Field Fire is burning west of the Mosaic neighborhood near LPGA Boulevard and International Tennis Drive. The fire is currently 50% contained. Officials report no buildings are currently at risk, and the Daytona Beach Fire Department, Volusia County Fire Rescue, and the Florida Forest Service are coordinating the response. Flagler County’s Fireflight has been deployed to assist ground crews with aerial water drops. Five bulldozers are operating in the area to support containment efforts.
Crews are conducting structure protection operations along Cyan Avenue. The fire is also burning near Father Lopez Catholic High School at 3918 LPGA Boulevard [GMap].
The fire is happening during severe drought conditions that have prompted a region-wide ban on outdoor burning. Six Central Florida counties are under red flag warnings until Monday night due to low humidity and strong winds, including Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, and Volusia counties, which all currently face elevated fire danger. The National Weather Service says the conditions allow any fires to spread rapidly, especially with the strong winds.
The smoke plume from the fire is visible on radar. It is pushing southeast through Port Orange all the way to New Smyrna Beach, extending 35 miles offshore.
Meteorologists say drought conditions will likely worsen in the coming days due to another cold front, and the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (Website) shows some pretty rough conditions across the region.
A brush fire last week near I-95 in Daytona Beach damaged 20 vehicles at the Crazy Horse Campground near the Daytona Flea and Farmers Market. That wind-driven fire scorched about two acres.
Residents are asked to avoid the area of the Bennett Field Fire as crews continue working to contain the blaze.
