Planning a trip to the Keys? Here's what you should know as fire rages on
As firefighters continue battling a brush fire in southern Miami-Dade County, travelers and commuters going in or out of the Florida Keys should expect intermittent delays, shifting conditions and lingering smoke that could affect visibility and safety for at least the next few days.
The fire, dubbed the '167 West Fire' has scorched 350 acres and is currently at 25% containment, according to the Florida Forest Service.
As of the latest update, Card Sound Road has reopened in both directions, though northbound traffic remains blocked on an 18-mile stretch of U.S. 1.
Southbound lanes on the stretch have reopened, providing limited access for travelers heading toward the Keys. Still, officials warn that the situation remains fluid.
'Residents should be monitoring road closures,' Michelle Danielson, spokesperson for the Florida Forest Service said.
Danielson recommended that drivers check Florida traffic cameras for possible road closures. She said that intermittent road closures could happen due to firefighting activity or sudden changes in fire behavior.
As for when the blaze might be brought fully under control, Danielson said there's no firm timeline yet.
'They [firefighters] are working as aggressively and safely as possible,' Danielson said.
There are 20 firefighters on the ground using heavy equipment, along with two helicopters that continue to conduct water drops, Danielson added.
READ MORE: Brush fire closes both roads in and out of Florida Keys, officials say. Expect delays
Residents and drivers in the area are also being urged to take extra precautions. Smoke may reduce visibility on roadways, and fire crews are working nearby. Those who don't need to be in the area are encouraged to stay off the roads.
In mid-March, a 26,000-acre brush fire prompted the Florida Forest Service, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and Monroe County Fire Rescue to spend over a week fighting the blaze, which led to full road closures in the Florida Keys and filled the air with smoke.
Will rain help? Maybe
According to National Weather Service meteorologist Chuck Caracozza, dry conditions are likely to continue through the first part of Saturday, with winds coming from the south-southeast.
This wind pattern will direct smoke away from densely populated metro areas and instead push it northwest toward the Everglades
Caracozza explained that while Saturday and most of Sunday will remain dry near the fire zone, increasing chances of rain and storms could arrive by Sunday afternoon and into next week — potentially aiding firefighting efforts.
The benefit, however, will depend heavily on where the rain actually falls, said Caracozza.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Louisville baseball vs Miami weather updates: Super regional game in lightning delay
Louisville baseball vs Miami weather updates: Super regional game in lightning delay Show Caption Hide Caption 5 men's NCAA baseball tournament players to watch The Mongomery Advertiser's Adam Cole and The Tennesseean's Aria Gerson break down the top players to watch in the men's NCAA baseball tournament. Louisville baseball finds itself three outs away from taking Game 1 of the Louisville Super Regional against Miami in the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament. The Cardinals, however, will have to wait some time before it can close the door on the series opener. Due to lightning in the area of Jim Patterson Stadium in Louisville, the game was sent into a lightning delay. REQUIRED READING: Why is Louisville baseball hosting a super regional? NCAA Tournament, CWS format explained Prior to the start of Game 1 between the Cardinals and the Hurricanes, rain moved its way through the Louisville area but did not impact the first pitch. Louisville is currently leading Miami 8-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs. Garrett Pike and Lucas Munroe hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the second to get the scoring going for the Cardinals. Louisville then plated five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to open up the game. Here's the latest weather updates for the Louisville Super Regional: REQUIRED READING: NCAA baseball tournament bracket: Super regional matchups, schedule, pairings for CWS All times Eastern 6:45 p.m.: According to the hourly forecast from The Weather Channel, heavy rain is expected to come through the Louisville area for the next two hours. 6:30 p.m.: Game 1 between Louisville and Miami has been halted due to lightning in the Louisville area. ESPN cameras showed both teams leaving the field, as well as fans in the stands. Per NCAA rules, if lightning strikes within at least six miles of the venue of the event, the game must be suspended for at least 30 minutes. For every lightning strike that follows the initial lightning strike, the 30-minute clock is reset. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Washington Post
5 hours ago
- Washington Post
Trump banned travel from 12 countries, but included some exceptions to avoid legal battles
MIAMI — The new travel ban on citizens of 12 countries that restricted access to people from seven others includes some exceptions, part of the administration's efforts to withstand the legal challenges that a similar policy known as the 'Muslim ban' faced during Donald Trump's first administration. The ban announced Wednesday applies to people from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The restrictions are for people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, who are outside the United States and don't hold a visa.
Associated Press
6 hours ago
- Associated Press
Trump banned travel from 12 countries, but included some exceptions to avoid legal battles
MIAMI (AP) — The new travel ban on citizens of 12 countries that restricted access to people from seven others includes some exceptions, part of the administration's efforts to withstand the legal challenges that a similar policy known as the 'Muslim ban' faced during Donald Trump's first administration. The ban announced Wednesday applies to people from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The restrictions are for people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, who are outside the United States and don't hold a visa. Some exceptions apply only to specific countries, like Afghanistan. Others are for most of the countries on the list, or are more general and unclear, like the policies for foreign visitors planning to come to the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, two of the events President Donald Trump has said he is more excited to host. Some experts agree that the current ban includes exceptions and has fixed some issues that were subject to litigation in the first travel ban. 'Absolutely, the administration is trying to avoid the problems that they had with the first proclamation,' said Jeff Joseph, president-elect at the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He anticipated, nonetheless, that lawsuits are 'going to come anyway.' In one of the most confusing moments of his first administration, Trump issued an executive order in 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. People from those countries were barred from getting on flights to the U.S. or detained at U.S. airports after landing. Among them were students, faculty, businesspeople, tourists and people visiting family. The order, dubbed as 'Muslim ban' by critics, faced legal challenges in the courts for about a year and was amended twice after opponents argued in the courts that it was unconstitutional and illegal. A version of the first travel ban was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. The new ban takes effect Monday at 12 a.m. It does not have an end date. Who is exempt from the new travel ban? __Green card holders __Dual citizens, including U.S. citizens who have citizenship of the banned countries __Some athletes and their coaches traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup, Olympics or other major sporting events __Afghans who worked for the U.S. government or its allies in Afghanistan or are holders of special visas __Iranians from an ethnic or religious minority who are fleeing prosecution __Certain foreign national employees of the U.S. government that have served abroad for at least 15 years, and their spouses and children __People who were granted asylum or admitted to the U.S. as refugees before the travel ban took effect __People with U.S. family members who apply for visas in connection with their spouses, children or parents __Diplomats and foreign government officials on official visits __People traveling to the U.N. headquarters in New York on official U.N. business __Representatives of international organizations and NATO on official visits in the United States __Children adopted by U.S. citizens Trump said nationals of the countries included in the ban pose 'terrorism-related' and 'public safety' risks, as well as risks of overstaying their visas. Some of these countries, he said, had 'deficient' screening or have refused to take back their citizens. The Proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests. What is different from the 2017 ban? Critics of the 2017 ban said that it was racial and targeted Muslim countries. Now the policy is broader and includes countries like Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela — nations that don't have many Muslims. This will make the argument about racial animus, said Joseph, the immigration attorney. The government has also included potential end dates, and the State Department will evaluate the proclamation every 90 days and determine if it should be extended. Is the list final, or could it be changed? The list can be changed, the administration said in a document, if authorities in the designated countries make 'material improvements' to their own rules and procedures. New countries can be added 'as threats emerge around the world.' Exemptions for Afghans The travel ban has barred most Afghans hoping to resettle in the U.S. permanently and those hoping to come temporarily, but there are several exemptions. One of them is for special immigrant visa holders who supported the United States' two-decades-long war in Afghanistan. Another exception applies to all countries on the travel ban and allows spouses, children and parents of U.S. citizens to enter the U.S. The U.S. government can decide to admit or decline their entrance on a case-by-case basis, considering if they serve a 'United States national interest.' How does it affect the World Cup, Olympics and fans? Iran, a soccer power in Asia, is the only targeted country to qualify so far for the World Cup that will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico next year. Cuba, Haiti and Sudan are in contention. Sierra Leone might stay involved through multiple playoff games. Burundi, Equatorial Guinea and Libya have very outside shots. But all should be able to send teams if they qualify because the new policy makes exceptions for 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, the Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state.' About 200 countries could send athletes to the Summer Games, including those targeted in the travel restrictions, and the exceptions should apply to them if the ban is still in place in its current form. Fans from the target countries willing to travel to the World Cup and the Olympics are not mentioned in the exceptions. Traveling from abroad for the World Cup and the Summer Games is expensive. In many cases, those who can afford the travel are wealthy individuals or people living in the diaspora, who may have different visa options. ___
