Big Cypress Mud Lake Fire Complex Update
Firefighters Stay the Course on Mud Lake Wildfire Complex

[The following was distributed by Katie Corrigan, Public Information Office for this incident, at 11:10 a.m. today. She will be sharing information as the incident continues]

For Immediate Release
Contact Us:
Email: bicyfire@gmail.com
Web: www.inciweb.org
Phone: (305) 972-6735 7:00 am – 10:00 pm

Naples, FL – The Mud Lake Wildfire Complex, thirty miles east of Naples, Florida in Big Cypress National Preserve is approximately 2,077 acres and remains 15% contained at this time. The Mud Lake wildfires started naturally by lightning as storms passed through the local area this weekend.

Fire personnel are actively suppressing the six wildfires (Ellison, Ellipse, Mist, Circle, Square, and Triangle wildfires) in order to provide for firefighter and public safety and limit smoke impacts to Interstate 75. Air and ground personnel continue to work together on suppression efforts where accessibility allows for safe access for firefighters to work on the fires.

Rain is forecast to move through the fire area this afternoon which may aid in fire suppression efforts; however high temperatures and gusty winds are expected to increase fire activity and may make fire control efforts difficult today. Additional lightning is expected with storms moving through the area this afternoon.

Incident Commander Jon Wallace said, “Our firefighters are working hard to protect people and infrastructure and manage smoke in the fire area. Fires like the Mud Lake Complex happen every year in south Florida. We are working to manage the fires effectively while still maintaining a healthy fire-adapted ecosystem.”

All areas of Big Cypress Preserve remain open at this time.

As of Monday night, there is 1 crew, 4 swamp buggies, 2 engines, 6 helicopters, 1 single engine air tanker and air attack working on the fire. A total of 73 personnel are assigned from various interagency wildland fire crews representing the National Park Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Forest Service, Florida Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs Seminole Tribe. Big Cypress National Preserve anticipate transitioning the management of the Mud Lake Complex to a Type 1 Incident Management Team this week.

Updates and maps related to the fire complex activities are posted at:
http://www.nps.gov/bicy/planyourvisit/2015-mud-lake.htm