A massive wildfire tore through Miami-Dade and Broward counties over the weekend, burning more than 11,000 acres and blanketing South Florida skies with thick smoke. The blaze, dubbed the “Max Road” fire for its location west of U.S. 27, was 50% contained as of Monday afternoon, according to the Florida Forest Service.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units first responded to reports of a brush fire near North Krome Avenue and Northwest 186th Street. More than a dozen units were deployed, with air rescue crews conducting water drops. Multiple agencies, including the Florida Forest Service and Broward Sheriff’s Fire Rescue, coordinated to protect nearby homes and communities.
For Roxanne Gil, the fire was not just a distant emergency. She and her boyfriend were home with their one-year-old child near Max’s Fish Camp when flames crept toward their property. “We went outside and there was just smoke — not even ten minutes from the house,” she said. With fire blocking the only road out, evacuation by land was impossible. “The only way was to take an airboat,” she said. Neighbors worked together to hose down homes and trailers before firefighters arrived.
Smoke drifted north toward Pembroke Pines, where fire crews were stationed around the Holly Lake community. A second fire in Florida City also created dangerous visibility conditions along U.S. 1. Somerset Academy said it was monitoring conditions but planned to continue normal school operations.
The National Weather Service urged those with respiratory sensitivities — children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised — to limit outdoor exposure, as smoke can cause headaches, breathing difficulties, and eye irritation. Relief may be on the way: rain chances are expected to increase through Tuesday and Wednesday, which could help firefighting efforts significantly.
