ATV Florida Forum

Did you all here this Saturday that was a huge fire at Holopaw, and then eight more Saturday night.  In case anyone has property out there:

1st Fire
Started just North of the O'Berry Fence Line, traveled Southwest, and jump the main road.  It jump it towards the West end of the main trail, right about the place where you make the turn from the mainroad, around dike, (you know where is alot of sugar sand), not too far from drunk tree.  Believe it or not, many camps were spared, fire just seem to jump around alot of them which was a good thing.  They also had fire department, and division of foresty putting out the fire.  There were a few camps right near O'Berry's Fence Line, right at the SW Corner of the fence line, that were hit. 

2nd - 8th
These where all on the SW Section, close to the power lines.  There was one camp that was hit hard, actually appears to be where the second fire started.  There was an van parked there, that appears to be part of the camp.  This camp is gone.  Keep in mind that many camps where spared.  My husband, and many others worked on putting our the fires.  Many of them were at all night working on keeping them down, and directing fire trucks where to go. 

The one good thing that it was a weekend, so there was alot of people helping to put out the fires and directing the fire trucks and stuff.  Had it not been for that, we would seen alot more camps destroyed.  My husband and Don, are exhausted, as I am sure many others are. 

If you have any questions about your camp, let me know, and I will try to let you know if your camp was okay. 

There where no fires in the North End, none near swimming whole, none near main gate.  They did not start until past O'Berry Fence Line, and then travel SW. 

I heard reports of 15 camps, but we actually did not see that many that had been burnt.  There could be, but I also know a couple of the camps that I saw destroyed had been abandoned.  But there were a couple that were not abandoned.

I got some pic's and I will try and post....

Also, anyone with property in Holopaw, pm w/either your direct connect number or cell number.  I wished I had someone's number, cause while I was out there I would of been more than happy to check your camp.  I did have a couple of numbers before, but that phone has since broke and I had no one's from this site.....But I will keep you numbers in my phone, and just incase something like this happens (hopefully not), and we are out there, I can contact or you can contact me....

If the second group of fires were near the powerlines then it looks like my camp is probably okay. Mine is pretty much right off the main trail.

Defintely want to say thanks to anyone that was out there this weekend helping the fire department putting those fires out. It just takes some strong wind to turn a few acre fire into a thousand acre fire.

Bill

Did it get to the Shooting Range?  :-\

I was driving on 1-92 east about 3:00 and saw smoke, I figured it was from Holopaw... Did they get any rain over there on Sunday?

When we left on Sunday, all the fires were out, and they had not made it the shooting range.  They were actually west of the shooting range.  Fortunately on Saturday night, the wind died down alot, which help in putting out the fires.  We left Holopaw about 4PM Sunday, and it had just started to rain on 192, so I can only hope that the rain made it there.  When I tell you it is dry, it's so dry.  I put a couple pic's on the SE website, need to go to a client meeting right now, when I get back will try to post more pic's. 

Thanks  ;)

CLOSE call, good thing you went this weekend! Hope you had time to fit in some fun.

Hopefully this works, not a pro at this yet, but here is a link to the Fires at Holopaw.  They are in backwards order, so if you start from the buttom that's the begining.  If you click on the pic's you will get where they were taking, and/or when.

http://pictures.aol.com/galleries/cheropride?backState=prevPage%3D/ap/myAlbums.do%26state%3DalbumId%253D32688.1433.1178561950351.1

Works great, you are a pro now. Thanks for posting the pics.

I am glad that it worked....Thanks for letting me know.  Hopefully this will give some of the people w/property where the fires where....

Yeah way too close for comfort. We need to get a tractor out to our property to get a few palmettos removed so we have a better fire break around the camp.

Bill

Yea, it was close, and yes, your are right about those Palmettos.  You can surely tell from the camps that had a good clearing, how do you think I feel with all the Florida Pines on the northend. If I hear any updates, I will let you know.

Another fire has been reported, between the north and southend, in what is called the loop.  Just got word, Fire Dept is out there.  Keep you posted.

This is getting ridiculous...

Hey I used to have it on my old computer, do you still have that google earth image of Holopaw?  If so, pm it to me as to where I can find, I want to see where the "loop" is, and yes, that was my exact words!

Is the S/E site down?

Here is one

I've had problems getting into it all day long.

I've never heard the term the loop used for anything out there so I'm sure where that is at. Did they say if it was north or south of the drunk tree?

Thanks Kawgirl, there is one out there someone that has all the main sites marked.... But thanks anyway...

Do you know where Hog Island is????

And the site has been down most of the day, I hear they are trying to get the site back up.

You are okay, it sounds like it is north of O'Berry's fence line. They call it the "loop" or aka "hog island".....

I've heard of hog island just not sure where it is. Unfortunately everyone seems to have different names for the same location so chances are I know where it's at but just by a different name.

I have another map on my pc home I'll send it to you tonight.

Thanks...

i havent been able to get on the site today either. or yesterday. this sucks about the fires. does the fire dept know if lightning caused them or if someone started them? keep us posted if you hear anything please. thanks for all the info so far.

The sites been down for a bit now, who knows when and if it will ever come back up. They've been talking about having someone else take it over...unfortunately they took too long.

Bill

Anyone have a key for sale?....LOL..I lost mine in the fire... >:D

Okay this ain't good..... :'(

Just read on another site, and no not SE cause it is still down, but apparently the fire that started (yesterday) at Hog Island moved South to Power Lines, and continued to Orange Groves.  I am going to try and confirm this, cause that is a huge fire.  Also states that this fire was due to natural causes, no foul play suspected.  I will keep you all posted...

wow that is Huge....

I know, I just hope it's not true, hopefully it was just misunderstanding as to where and how far.  I do know that it started on Hog Island, just can't see how it went that far.  But I do know that it has really windy in the area too.  Waiting on more word, will keep you all posted...

Okay just got off the phone w/someone who double checked, and the fires are all out.  Apparently from what I understand there may of been two smaller fires.  The one at hog island and another at pine island (had no idea so many islands).  The fire by hog island is still smoldering, but the fire department is out there.  So apparently, which is good news, what I read may of just been a misunderstanding.  It does not appear that these fires took out more camps, it's just so dang confusing when you cant personally see what's going on.

Didn't mean to pass on what may not of been true, but I know the person that posted it, and he wouldnt of posted what he didnt think was true.  I quess with just so much going on, this will happen.

So the final word is that all fires are out, with the only exception at hog island is still smoldering, but the fire department is there.  People are apparently checking camps, and when I hear more, I will let you all know.  This time I will get it from the horse's mouth.

The Secretary of SEPA has been very involved in knowing what's going on, and so has our key lady, they have really been on top of this whole thing.  So we all owe them a BIG THANK YOU.

Does anyone know of anyone else that was out at Holopaw on Saturday or Saturday night, that took pictures.  If so could you please have them posted either on this site, or provide a link that they can be viewed.  Or if you like they can be emailed directly to me at cheropride@aol.com.

Thanks Becky

STOP THE PRESSES, the SE web-site is back up.... Just thought I would let you all know....
 8)