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Two brush fires in Pasco continue to smolder

Swampy terrain hindering efforts to fight fire
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Two brush fires continue to smolder in Pasco County.

The Florida Forest Service (Withlacoochee) said the Campground fire in the Moon Lake area was about 75 acres and 85 percent contained.

The Silver Palm Fire was 30 acres and only 25 percent contained. It is burning about 100 yards away from home, but the evacuations orders have been lifted.

Officials warned people living in the are with respiratory and other health conditions to keep windows shut with A/C on.

RELATED: Governor Rick Scott declared a State of Emergency on Tuesday due to the fire threat.

A county-wide burn ban may be put in place on Wednesday.

Crews are using heavy equipment and a helicopter to battle the fires.

On Monday, Pasco County's Emergency Management issued voluntary evacuation orders for residents and special needs residents in the following areas:

-Silver Palms fire: Suncoast Lakes subdivision (West of the Suncoast Parkway and South of State Road 52)

-Campground fire: Residents in the Moon Lake area south of State Road 52 and east of Moon Lake Road 

The orders were lifted several hours later.

No homes are immediately threatened.

RELATED: How to keep wildfires from spreading to your home

The swampy terrain is making it difficult for crews to reach the center of the fire to put out the hottest areas.  So far, helicopters have been essential to cooling the flames.

"There's a lot of unburned pockets of fuel it's difficult to access even with hose lines, even the dozers are getting stuck," DeWolfe said. 

Florida Fire Service, Pasco Fire Rescue, Salvation Army, FHP and Pasco Sheriff's Office are on scene.

 

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