Overview
- The blaze ignited over the weekend near the Sawgrass Expressway west of Tamarac and grew from initial estimates of roughly 100 to more than 4,700 acres according to a Florida Forest Service map reported by USA TODAY.
- Multiple local outlets reported the fire at 0% containment through Monday and Tuesday as Florida Forest Service and Broward crews worked from the ground and monitored conditions from the air.
- Thick smoke was visible for miles along the Sawgrass Expressway and drew dozens of residents to nearby trailheads who expressed concern about air quality and impacts on wildlife.
- Officials have not identified a cause for the Atlantic Fire and have not ordered road closures, evacuations, or issued air quality alerts as of the latest reports.
- The fire is unfolding during a period of very dry vegetation and extreme heat that has driven other recent South Florida wildfires, making containment harder and making updates on smoke direction and containment the key developments to watch.