Page 7 - ARUBA TODAY

A7
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 12 april 2017

Wildfires scorch parts of Florida; gov. declares emergency

ANA CEBALLOS 19 homes, authorities said.
TAMARA LUSH Agriculture Commissioner
Associated Press Adam Putnam said this is
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Fire- the most active wildfire
fighters are battling wild- season since 2011, with
fires from the top of Florida some 107 fires statewide.
near the Georgia line to A Florida Fire Service map
Miami-Dade County in the shows most of the fires have
south as the governor de- sprung up between Lake
clared a state of emergen- Okeechobee to the south
cy Tuesday. and the Ocala National
Gov. Rick Scott said the Forest to the north. Scott’s
proclamation will make it executive order is expect-
easier for state, regional ed to speed government
and local agencies to assistance in hard-hit Polk,
“quickly work together to Collier, Marion, Nassau,
protect our families, visitors Broward, Hernando and
and communities” as au- Glades counties.
thorities battle more than Since February, wildfires
100 wildfires around the have swept across 68,000
state. acres (25,500 hectares) of
“Thank God we have the the state. That amount is
firefighters we do at the lo- higher than the average Aircraft from the U.S. Forestry Service and the Florida Forestry Service work to contain a massive
cal, state and federal level acreage burned over the wildfire in Hernando Beach, Fla. Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday, April 11 declared a State of Emer-
and willing to put their lives past five years. gency for Florida in response to the wildfires actively burning across the state.
at risk to take care of us,” The largest blaze right now (Luis Santana /Tampa Bay Times via AP)
he added. “If it hadn’t is the one known as the
been for their hard work Cowbell Fire in South Flori- more than 9 square miles public land. Heisey said the Tampa, voluntary evacua-
we would’ve lost a lot of da’s Big Cypress National (23 square kilometers) of fire began in the southern tions were issued Monday
homes ... all across the Preserve, which has spread swamp and forestland portion of the Okefenokee and an emergency shelter
state.” to more than 8,000 acres near the Georgia-Florida refuge’s vast 407,000 acres was opened. The evacu-
The blaze is also affecting (3,200 hectares) just north state line. Susan Heisey, (16,400 hectares). She said ation order was rescinded
wildlife. On Sunday, Pem- of Interstate 75. supervisory ranger for the it has now spread into the and the shelter closed later
broke Pines Police report- Authorities lightning set off south Georgia refuge, said neighboring Osceola Na- Monday evening but offi-
ed that a group of teens a wildfire in the Okefeno- Tuesday that more firefight- tional Forest and John M. cials there are warning resi-
caught a 13-foot python kee National Wildlife Ref- ers are being added to a Bethea State Forest in Flor- dents to be ready in case
with burns on its skin in that uge and it has continued team of more than 100 try- ida. evacuations are again
South Florida community to spread, burning through ing to contain the blaze to In Pasco County, north of recommended.q
near the Everglades Wild-
“Due to the brush fires in Plane makes emergency landing on Maine highway
life Management Area.
the Everglades, you may
see a rise in wildlife entering BOWDOINHAM, Maine (AP) injuries. senger Rodney Voisene, of from a Bowdoinham air-
residential areas to escape — A small plane made The plane, piloted by John Bowdoin, received a minor field, and his engine stalled
the smoke and flames,” the an emergency landing Gayley, of Bowdoin, land- arm injury and was also tak- when he attempted to
police department wrote against traffic on an in- ed in the southbound lane en to a hospital. switch fuel tanks. His origi-
on its Facebook page. terstate Tuesday, struck a of Interstate 295 in Bow- The plane, a 1947 Cessna, nal plan was to fly to an air-
It added photos of the guardrail and came to rest doinham at about 10:15 did not hit any cars during field in Turner.
snake, which was being nose-down, police said. a.m. It then crashed into its landing. Police said one The Federal Aviation Ad-
treated at a wildlife park. One vehicle had to serve a guardrail off the break- vehicle had to swerve to ministration was notified
Wildfires are burning on a to avoid the plane, but no down lane. avoid the plane as it land- about the crash. A wreck-
total of more than 23,800 motorists were injured, and Police said Gayley had mi- ed against traffic. er planned to remove the
acres (9,600 hectares) of the two people aboard the nor facial injuries and was Police said Gayley told plane from the road later
land and have destroyed plane suffered only minor taken to a hospital. Pas- troopers he had taken off Tuesday.q