POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Firefighters have fully contained a brush fire that has burned almost 700 acres.
According to the Lakeland Florida Forest Service, crews had been working on putting the fire out since Tuesday afternoon.
What You Need To Know
- Polk County Fire Rescue firefighters have contained the brush fire
- Fire was burning in the 5,500-acre River Ranch Hunting Club area
- Around 700 acres were burned
Fire officials said about 200 outbuildings, smaller structures like sheds or non-living structures, have been destroyed.
The fire was burning in the 5,500-acre River Ranch Hunting Club area. Officials from the Lakeland, Orlando, and Okeechobee Districts assisted Polk County Fire Rescue to contain the fire.
#RightGate Fire update- the fire is 100%contained. The acreage will increase when the mapping information is calculated. The cause is still under investigation and River Ranch Hunt Camp main gate is open to property owners. pic.twitter.com/x908WB9Utg
— FFS Lakeland (@FFS_Lakeland) March 29, 2023
Officials say they used tractor plows to remove fuel from the fire, creating a boundary essentially around where the flames were.
Also, fire officials are asking area resident to use caution with outdoor burning, welding or grinding because the sparks can cause some fire issues.
Winds picked up a bit Wednesday and the area hasn’t had any rainfall in about a month, so everything is bone dry.
Crews will be with the fire for quite a few days, monitoring until the hot spots are gone.
The Florida Forest Service says the cause is still under investigation.