Related videos:
A wildfire known as the Max Road Fire has burned 5,650 acres in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, blanketing the sky with dense smoke to the west of both counties since Sunday, according to Telemundo 51.
The fire, located west of U.S. Route 27 in the Everglades, reached a containment level of 30% by the end of Monday, according to the Florida Forest Service.
More than 12 fire units from Miami-Dade responded to the initial call, reported near North Krome Avenue and Northwest 186th Street, and the air rescue team carried out water drops over the flames.
The teams are working in coordination with the Florida Forest Service and the Broward Sheriff's Office to protect nearby properties, with no injuries reported so far.
The situation was particularly critical for residents living near Max's Fish Camp and Airboat Rides, who were trapped when the fire cut off the only exit from the area.
Roxanne Gil, who was at home with her one-year-old son, described the moment the fire caught them off guard: "We were sitting on the couch when his father called to say there was a fire. We went outside and there was already smoke, less than 10 minutes from the house."
Gil explained that the situation became complicated immediately: "There was no way out. The fire was blocking the only road. The only way was to take an airboat."
Before the firefighters arrived, the neighbors themselves took measures to protect their homes: "I had to spray my house with the hose; the neighbors sprayed their mobile homes before the fire department got here," he recounted.
The smoke and flames also moved toward a community in Pembroke Pines, where firefighting teams were stationed along the perimeter of the Holly Lake community to monitor the conditions.
The National Weather Service warned about poor air quality in the west of Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Weston, and nearby areas, urging caution especially for children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
An active second fire in Florida City worsened the day by causing low visibility on U.S. 1, while Somerset Academy, located near the affected area, stated that it was monitoring the conditions but that all operations and exams would proceed as scheduled.
The Max Road Fire occurs in the context of the worst wildfire season in Florida in over a decade: more than 70% of the state is experiencing extreme or exceptional drought conditions, with rainfall 50% below the average since September 2025.
Since January 2026, nearly 2,000 fires have burned around 120,000 acres across the state, a figure that reflects the severity of the crisis.
Dr. Steve Davis, head of Everglades science, warned that peat fires caused by extreme drought could permanently alter the landscape of wetlands, as the fire can penetrate the layers of organic matter in the soil and burn for weeks or months.
The chances of rain increase this Tuesday and Wednesday, which could provide much-needed relief to the emergency teams working to extinguish the fire.
Filed under: