Two fast-moving wildfires are tearing through the Everglades and Florida City, choking the air across Broward and Miami-Dade — and firefighters say they’re only partially contained.
Two wildfires raging across South Florida are showing no signs of slowing down — and for tens of thousands of residents in Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Weston, Florida City, and Homestead, the danger isn’t just visible on a map. It’s hanging in the air outside their windows.
The larger of the two blazes, the Max Road Fire, has already scorched 4,800 acres in the Everglades west of U.S. 27 and Pines Boulevard in Broward County. As of the evening of May 10, it was only 20% contained. The second fire — the SW 172nd Avenue Fire near Florida City in Miami-Dade — has burned 210 acres and is 30% contained.
The National Weather Service office in Miami warned that smoke could linger over western Broward suburbs throughout May 11, dramatically reducing visibility on local roads and dropping air quality to dangerous levels. Drivers caught rubbernecking along U.S. 27 and Pines Boulevard were causing traffic backups, prompting Pembroke Pines Police to urge the public to stay out of the area entirely.
“In collaboration with forestry, we’re working on protecting the communities around Florida City and Homestead and also making sure that the roads stay open so the community still has access to those roadways.”— Ralph Baena, Emergency Operations Administrative Division Chief, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue
Multiple agencies — including the Florida Forest Service, the Broward Sheriff’s Office, and officials from both Miami-Dade and Pembroke Pines — have mobilized a joint response to prevent the fires from spreading into populated neighborhoods.
The 172nd Avenue Fire initially forced the closure of Card Sound Road, a key artery in the area. Although the road has since reopened, officials urged motorists to use extreme caution on the morning of May 11, as thick smoke continued to blanket the region.
Residents in affected areas are advised to keep windows and doors closed, avoid outdoor exercise, and monitor local emergency alerts for evacuation orders or road closures.
