Golden Gate Estates brush fire grows to 7,034 acres, still 50 percent contained

The fire that quickly spread through Golden Gate Estates this week was 50 percent contained and reached 7,034 acres Sunday afternoon.

The mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders were lifted Sunday morning, and residents were allowed to return to their homes.

Public officials said the rain has helped with firefighting efforts, but they are still working on active pockets in the interior of the blaze.

"The rain gods are to be thanked today," said Dan Summers, director of the Collier County Bureau of Emergency Services.

Greater Naples Fire Rescue Chief Kingman Schuldt said officials may have overestimated the number of homes lost.

"We have confirmed that three homes were destroyed," Schuldt said. "Three families were permanently displaced. The other structures were likely work sheds and similar structures."

The fire chief said he didn't want to overstate the news and that fire crews along with the Red Cross are going door-to-door to help those who have been displaced.

Schuldt said firefighters and strike teams from all over the state have helped contain the blaze and that there are plans to scale back some of the local staffing of the fire.

"Local emergency staff have been worked to a max," the fire chief said.

Officials said there is a risk of trees and power lines falling and urged the public to be vigilant.

Collier County sheriff's deputies will continue to route traffic in the area of the fire. Officials said heavy equipment will continue to be seen on the roads.

"Be careful around the heavy fire apparatus. Give us space to work," Schuldt said.

Fire crews along the south and southwestern areas of the fire created and reinforced containment lines with bulldozers.

The bulldozers knocked down trees and other vegetation that could catch fire, and they left a line of dirt several feet wide to separate the fire from things that could fuel it.

"Dirt can't burn," said Joe Zwierzchowski, a spokesman for the Florida Forest Service.

The bulldozers expose the soil so the fire stays within the lines. When a fire is 100 percent contained, firefighters work to control it within the fire line.

More: Golden Gate Estates residents return home after mandatory evacuations lifted

The rainy weather Saturday and Sunday gave fire crews a leg up on the fire and allowed them to work double-time on creating and strengthening the containment lines, according to Zwierzchowski.

The showers allowed the flames to stay closer to the ground and for embers not to fly and start new fires.

"The guys working Friday and Saturday saw the worst of it," Zwierzchowski said. "The fire was throwing embers a quarter to a half-mile in front of itself. We're talking about extreme fire conditions. There's not much you can do with that."

Collier County remains one of the driest counties in the state. On Sunday the county was at 636 on the Keetch-Byram drought index, which measures soil moisture on an 800-point scale.

According to the Florida Forest Service, the range of the index looks at how much moisture saturates the first 8 inches of soil. Higher numbers indicate increased fire risk and represent low levels of moisture in the soil.

Zwierzchowski said the firefighters were taking advantage of more favorable weather conditions on Sunday to increase the fire's containment percentage.

The rain helped, but there is still work to be done.

"There's a drought," Zwierzchowski said. "It takes a lot of rain to moisten those first 8 inches of soil. The drought is a huge deficit."

Increased winds are forecast for Monday and Tuesday, which means there's a chance the fire could spread again.

"We have a good opportunity to gain a lot of ground for about 36 hours," Zwierzchowski said. "Midday Monday we'll know where we stand. If those winds pick up and the fire spreads, it's off to the races again."

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Collier County School District

Activities and bus routes for Collier County Public schools will operate as normal Monday.