News Release

Sunday Afternoon Fire Winds Down, Monitoring Continues

Aerial image shows a mixture of burned and unburned non-native melaleuca trees along the jagged western perimeter of the Sunday Afternoon Fire in Everglades National Park.

NPS Photo Scott Bishaw and Greg Suszek

News Release Date: April 24, 2020

Contact: Allyson Gantt, 786-610-8023

Homestead, Fla. – Fire behavior on the Sunday Afternoon Fire in Everglades National Park has significantly diminished. Firefighters will continue to monitor this area until substantial rainfall extinguishes the remaining hot spots. Aircraft will continue with reconnaissance of the Sunday Afternoon Fire and surrounding areas to watch for additional fire starts. Ground crews will continue to improve the fire perimeter as needed, especially along the remote northwestern boundary.
 
Containment of the fire remains at 50%. More accurate mapping indicates that 771 acres are on park land and 515 acres are on state land, for a total of 1,286 acres, slightly less than initially reported.
 
With the current drought and high winds, fire danger remains high. Preventing wildfires will also prevent smoke in our surrounding communities. Everyone can help by fully extinguishing cigarettes, reporting smoke and fire immediately, and carefully monitoring and fully extinguishing any outdoor fires.
  
Although impacts should continue to lessen, surrounding communities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties may still experience smoke from the wildfire. Drivers should use caution when smoke is on the road. Individuals with respiratory conditions should stay indoors when smoke is present.
 
The Sunday Afternoon Fire started on April 19 just south and east of the Everglades National Park boundary, north of SW 112 Street and west of the L31 N Canal Road in the Fire Mutual Response Zone (MRZ), an area where the National Park Service shares fire response with the Florida Forest Service. The wildfire then spread into the northeastern part of the Park, approximately 5 miles south of US Highway 41. The fire burned in sawgrass prairie, brush, and invasive Australian pine and melaleuca.
 
Although the cause of the fire remains under investigation, human influence is likely, as there were no recorded lightning strikes in the area.
 
In addition to Everglades Fire and Aviation, personnel from Big Cypress National Preserve, Alaska Fire Service, Florida Forest Service, South Florida Water Management District, US Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and aviation resources from the Silver King Fire are assisting.  
 
This is the final press release for the Sunday Afternoon Fire unless a major change occurs.