With results as deadly as any severe storm, Charlotte County is being ravaged by no less than 10 large fires consuming wooded areas and threatening homes. Part of the situation is an extension from the fires in the Northport area in south Sarasota County and also the work of arsonists. The fires are exacerbated by weather conditions of high winds and low humidity; the grasslands and wooded areas are virtual tinderboxes. One house was burned today with others threatened. In the Edgewater Road/Flamingo Road area evacuations have occurred and are also on standby. The United Methodist Church on Quesada Road has been set up as a shelter for those evacuated. Charlotte County Firemen have been augmented with Fire Units from Lee County. I understand the fire on Edgewater is now under control but all others are not. Strategy is to defend houses and let the fire burn in unoccupied wooded areas as there are not enough resources available to attack those areas When one crosses the Peace River Bridge from Punta Gorda to
the Port Charlotte side, the view is one of a battlefield look. Looking west towards the Edgewater-Flamingo area fires, there are two major boiling fire points visible with smoke clouds billowing out and across the area. Looking northeast and east towards the I-75 area ranging from North Port down to the Forrest Nelson Road area; probably just beyond Peachtree Blvd and above the Kings Highway, there are a number of boiling fire points visible with smoke clouds pouring over the entire area. The smell from the smoke is quite heavy making it a health problem area. Punta Gorda during the day was spared from direct effects, because the winds were blowing northward keeping the smoke and smell away. A slight shift in the winds will change that. So in effect, all of northern Charlotte County below Englewood-Rotonda is under effects of fire. To the west towards the Gulf Coast and the mouth of the Myaaka River and Boca Grande, there is fire. The same area below the Sarasota County line on the eastern side has
fire. US 41 snakes up between the two areas and in effect provides a fire break between the two areas but it is affected by the smoke and smell. I have seen large forest fires, but I have never seen quite a sight like this before in a populated area. The firefighters are continuing the fight as I write. I was selling accounts in the Murdock area (where the fires are) this afternoon and saw firsthand what I have described. I left the office in Punta Gorda about 6:30pm, and the local news was still reporting on what was going on. On Highway 776, apparently there is a traffic jam situation as many people are watching the fires; possibly some of those are evacuees or will be. This is a major disaster event for the area. Richard Macomber-Cape Coral (Lee County), FL
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