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Miami, FL
Wildfire burns for fourth day as winds shift and more crews join in Miami-Dade: What to know
What to Know
- Officially called the 344 fire, the blaze began Tuesday and has swelled to 24,000 acres in size
- On Friday, a fire weather watch will be in effect from 8 a.m. into the evening
- U.S. 1 will open and close intermittently for an uncertain amount of time for fire operations
- Friday also brings a shift in wind direction, which means firefighters’ strategy will shift too, and include more resources to get the flames under control
A wildfire in Southwest Miami-Dade has prompted road closures, scary stories of escape and fierce response from fire crews as it enters its fourth day.
Officially called the 344 fire, the blaze began Tuesday and has swelled to 24,000 acres in size, according to the Florida Forest Service. It was about 30% contained as of Thursday evening.
On Friday, a fire weather watch will be in effect from 8 a.m. into the evening. The day also brings a shift in wind direction, which means firefighters’ strategy will shift too, and include more resources to get the flames under control.
“We’ve had some winds out of the south, southwest, southeast now. They’re moving more towards the north, so that means it’s gonna change the direction of the progression of the fire,” Ludi Bond, of the Florida Forest Service, explained.
Those winds also change where the smoke and ash impacts are felt, and the priority remains keeping the flames away from structures, communities and the Homestead-Miami Speedway, where thousands are expected this weekend for the NASCAR Cup series.
“We did receive new resources today, firefighting resources. So the Florida Forest Service ordered two new strike teams of engines. They arrived today. There’ll be boots on the ground [Friday],” Bond said.
Crews are bracing for changing winds as they enter their fourth day of fighting the 344 Fire, which means a shift in strategy. NBC6’s Jamie Guirola reports
What roads are closed?
U.S. 1 will open and close intermittently for an uncertain amount of time for fire operations, officials said.
Are there any injuries or threatened structures?
There were no reported injuries as of Thursday. The area where the fire broke out is largely rural. Officials said no structures are threatened.
What is a fire weather watch?
This combination of low humidity, lack of rain and gusty winds has prompted a fire weather watch, meaning that “any fire that develops could catch and spread quickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended,” the National Weather Service says.
This means firefighters will have to battle unfavorable conditions as they work to contain the 344 fire.
FIRE WEATHER WATCH in effect for tomorrow, Friday 21st, for Palm Beach, Broward, & Miami-Dade Co. due to low relative humidity, with northerly winds 10-15 mph, & existing drought conditions. There are elevated fire weather concerns and outdoor burning is NOT recommended. pic.twitter.com/T0HkjEGxTQ
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) March 21, 2025
How do crews fight the fire?
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said it is working with the Florida Forest Service to put out the fire. Crews were seen on the ground and in the air, working around the clock.
The Florida Forest Service gave NBC6 a closer look at the firefight along Card Sound Road.
“It is dry enough for everything to burn, but wet enough that we can’t put our equipment there without sinking. So it’s very challenging,” said Kevin MacEwen with the Florida Forest Service.
Aerial operations have been crucial in this battle as Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service can’t access certain areas on the ground.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue’s Air Rescue mission involves deploying Bambi Buckets to release water into the hotspots. There are two MDFR chopper crews actively working the fire, circling back every 1 to 2 minutes.
NBC6 observed helicopters hovering over a lake near the Homestead-Miami Speedway and using the buckets to collect the water. The helicopters then fly over back to the fire to dump the water there.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service give a look into the challenging fight against a wildfire in southwest Miami-Dade. NBC6’s Laura Rodriguez reports
“It’s probably one of the more dangerous operations that we conduct. We do conduct a lot of training on it,” said Chief Pilot Robert Wallis of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
The Florida Forest Service has four helicopters on the scene, along with four planes. Each bucket carries about 320 gallons of water.
“Aviation is always a risky business to some level but it is inherently safe, and fire is also a potentially dangerous operation so when we mix the two … but you know we are extremely cautious,” said Francis Neeley of Florida Forest Service Aviation. “We go through protocol, we do checklists, and this is why we do briefings before and debriefings after.”
A warning to drone operators
Firefighters made a plea to people with drones.
“They don’t mix,” Bond said. “We’ve noticed a couple of drone intrusions [Thursday]. That really can hinder firefighting efforts and put our firefighters and our communities at risk, so we need people to stay away with their drones and don’t come out with them.”
Miami, FL
Injury Bug for Miami Basketball Gains Another Player Early in the Season
The Miami Hurricanes have won five of their last six games early in the 2025-26 regular season. Head coach Jai Lucas has done a great job recruiting and finding the right talent for the Hurricanes; however, that is when they get a chance to see the court.
Entering this season, the Hurricanes struggled to stay healthy. Four-star freshman Treyvon Maddox hasn’t even seen the floor yet, while the rest of the team is trying to find a good footing.
Against UL Monroe, star five-star freshman Shelton Henderson went down with a lower leg injury with 1:29 left in the first half. It seems he avoided a major injury, warming up in the second half, but Lucas decided not to put him back in the game.
“We’re still kind of evaluating and seeing what it is,” Lucas said after the victory over the Warhawks. “He tried to kind of go out there and start the second half, run around a little bit, so we’ll see.’
However this is the tip of the iceberg with the injuries for the Canes.
UM is playing playoff levels with this tight rotation. Starter are playing 30-plus minutes against quad-four teams because of the lack of bodies.
Marcus Allen and Donte Allen have missed every game since the Hurricanes defeated Ole Miss on the road. Ernest Udeh Jr. has been in and out of the line all season. Noam Dovrat has a nagging shoulder injury that will keep him out of the game; Tru Washington has missed time; Tre Donaldson is powering through some little nicks; and now the Henderson injury.
The Hurricanes have the talent to be a Sweet 16 team in the NCAA Tournament, but they have to be on the floor at all times. The Hurricanes are only playing seven players a game right now, and it will either help them or hurt them.
The Hurricanes are set to face the FIU Panthers, while they try to get healthy at the right time. The Hurricanes are dominating on both sides of the ball, but the challenges from opponents will continue to increase.
“I expect a war,” Lucas said. “They’re really good. [FIU head coach Jeremy] Ballard’s done a good job this year with his team construction,” Lucas said. “They play with confidence. They play free. They’re aggressive. They’re big. They got really good guards.”
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Miami, FL
Charging e-bike suspected in destructive Miami house fire
MIAMI — The smell of blackened, burned rubble still lingers inside the house where an early-morning fire left a family devastated. Outside, debris from the firefight remains scattered around the property.
The fire tore through a duplex near the 1800 block of Northwest 53rd Street Saturday morning around 10:30 a.m., forcing everyone inside to flee.
The blaze is believed to have been caused by an e-bike, though officials say the exact cause is still under investigation.
“With every step,” Josue Paz said as he walked through the damage, he faces heartbreak and devastation.
What was once his family’s living room is now reduced to piles of ash and rubble.
Paz said he was inside the home when an e-bike charging in the house suddenly caught fire.
“Yep, that’s part of the bike. Right there, right there,” he said, pointing to debris.
“I couldn’t really process anything and it just happened,” Paz said.
Paz rushed to get his family out before the flames spread.
“My first thought was getting everybody out of the house. I was trying to call everybody,” he said. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s get out.”
Fire officials say lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters have been linked to a growing number of fast-moving fires nationwide. Miami Fire Rescue is still working to determine the exact cause of this fire.
Despite losing everything, Paz said surviving the fire is what matters most.
“I’m glad that I got my neighbors out, I got my family out,” he said.
Six people escaped the fire, along with a dog. They are staying with loved ones as the fire department continues to work to pinpoint how the fire started.
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Miami, FL
Woman found dead on roadway in SW Miami-Dade
A woman was found dead on the roadway in Southwest Miami on Friday morning, deputies said.
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, just before 6 a.m., deputies arrived at the 9800 block of Southwest 170th Street after receiving reports of a person who was unresponsive and lying on the roadway.
Once at the scene, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue pronounced the woman dead.
Her identity has not been released.
A death investigation is underway, and the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the woman’s cause of death.
MDSO said there are no suspects at this time.
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