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South Fork High School to reopen Tuesday after 80-acre wildfire completely contained

South Fork High School to reopen Tuesday after 80-acre wildfire completely contained
AWAY FROM THOSE SCHOOLS. RIGHT NOW ON THE TREASURE COAST, MARTIN COUNTY FIRE RESCUE IN FLORIDA, FOREST SERVICE OFFICIALS ARE MONITORING TWO BRUSH FIRES. LAST WEEK, A FIRE BROKE OUT NEAR HUNGRY LAND IN STUART WHERE OFFICIALS BELIEVE THE DROUGHT AND WEATHER PLAYED MAJOR FACTORS. THE LATEST FIRE ALSO STARTED IN STUART NEAR SOUTHWEST PRATT WHITNEY ROAD ON SUNDAY. OFFICIALS SAY BOTH FIRES ARE FULLY CONTAINED. OUR SOOJI NAM JOINS US AND HAS THE LATEST ON THE INVESTIGATION. SO YOU CAN CERTAINLY SEE AND SMELL THE SMOKE. OFFICIALS TELL ME THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE FROM THIS WEEKEND WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. LOOK LIKE IT WAS REALLY, REALLY CLOSE TO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING THAT WAY. SOME RESIDENTS NEARBY SOUTHWEST PRATT WHITNEY ROAD SAY THEY WERE SHOCKED WHEN THEY SAW SMOKE ON SUNDAY. ACCORDING TO FLORIDA FOREST SERVICE, A BLOWN TRANSFORMER SPARKED THIS FIRE OVER THE WEEKEND, SPREADING TO 80 ACRES IN ABOUT 4 HOURS. CREWS WERE ABLE TO FULLY CONTAIN THE FIRE BY 6 P.M., EVEN THOUGH IT IS 100% CONTAINED. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT IT IS COMPLETELY EXTINGUISHED. OFFICIALS REMIND EVERYONE IN THE AREA TO BE VIGILANT AS CREWS CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DAMAGES. WE’RE GOING TO BE OUT HERE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. MOPPING UP, PUTTING WATER ON SPOTS THAT ARE STILL SMOLDERING, THAT MAY PRODUCE A BIT MORE SMOKE. MARTIN COUNTY FIRE RESCUE TANKERS HAVE ALSO BEEN OUT IN THE AREA PUTTING WATER ON ANY POTENTIAL HOTSPOTS TO PREVENT MORE FIRES. THERE WERE ALSO DAMAGES IN THE WOODED AREAS NEAR SOUTH FORK HIGH SCHOOL. SO THE MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CANCELED CLASSES ON MONDAY. TO HELPS THOSE THAT HAVE BREATHING PROBLEMS THAT ARE YOU KNOW, HAVE HAVE ASTHMA ATTACKS, RESPIRATORY ISSUES. IT JUST HELPS THEM STAY AWAY FROM THIS SORT OF SMOKE. A SPOKESPERSON WITH THE MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TELLS ME THAT THEY DO PLAN TO REOPEN SOUTH FORK HIGH SCHOOL ON TUESDAY IN MARTI
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South Fork High School to reopen Tuesday after 80-acre wildfire completely contained
South Fork High School will reopen on Tuesday after it was closed the day before "out of an abundance of caution" due to smoldering in the area and the "wind/weather variables."An 80-acre wildfire in Stuart is now completely contained.According to Florida Forest Service, the cause of Sunday's fire was due to a blown transformer. Crews said the wildfire is currently not a threat to homes, but some power lines were damaged, knocking out power to several homes in the area. Power has since been restored to those customers. Crews are expected to remain on the scene and will watch for flare-ups."Even though it is 100% contained, that does not mean that it is completely extinguished," Miguel Navarez, of the Florida Forest Service, told WPBF 25 News. "We’re going to be out here over the next several days mopping up putting water on spots that are still smoldering that may produce a bit more smoke."Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 When the fire began, firefighters had to work to protect homes on Hawkview Circle in the Foxwood neighborhood. Currently, there is no more threat to those homes. "It was really concerning because there were so many people going by and stopping and didn’t really know what was going on," said Raymond St. John, a resident.Station crews initially responded to the 10000 block of Red Wing Drive just before 2 p.m. on Sunday for reports of a brush fire, where they found a 30-foot by 30-foot fire, which spread to brush nearby. The fire quickly grew to more than 80 acres.Officials said the fire was completely contained by around 6 p.m. on Sunday."We want to make sure that any potential hotspots don’t turn into problem areas and start a fire backed up and spread potentially into neighborhoods," Cory Pippin of Martin County Fire Rescue told WPBF 25 News. On Monday, firefighters were working with tankers to put water on any of those potential hotspots in the area. "No damage to property, no injuries," Pippin said. "I really want to stress that that’s thanks to the fire crews that were on the scene making sure that the fire didn’t spread out of control."Pratt Whitney Road was also closed in the area for several hours as a precaution. The Hungryland fire also rekindled on Sunday, though crews were able to get it back under control. It is 100% contained, but fire rescue will return on Monday to prevent the fire from reigniting. "Critical that people use caution in the area, pay attention to the surroundings," Pippin said.

South Fork High School will reopen on Tuesday after it was closed the day before "out of an abundance of caution" due to smoldering in the area and the "wind/weather variables."

An 80-acre wildfire in Stuart is now completely contained.

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According to Florida Forest Service, the cause of Sunday's fire was due to a blown transformer.

Crews said the wildfire is currently not a threat to homes, but some power lines were damaged, knocking out power to several homes in the area. Power has since been restored to those customers.

Crews are expected to remain on the scene and will watch for flare-ups.

"Even though it is 100% contained, that does not mean that it is completely extinguished," Miguel Navarez, of the Florida Forest Service, told WPBF 25 News. "We’re going to be out here over the next several days mopping up putting water on spots that are still smoldering that may produce a bit more smoke."

Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25

When the fire began, firefighters had to work to protect homes on Hawkview Circle in the Foxwood neighborhood. Currently, there is no more threat to those homes.

"It was really concerning because there were so many people going by and stopping and didn’t really know what was going on," said Raymond St. John, a resident.

Station crews initially responded to the 10000 block of Red Wing Drive just before 2 p.m. on Sunday for reports of a brush fire, where they found a 30-foot by 30-foot fire, which spread to brush nearby. The fire quickly grew to more than 80 acres.

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Officials said the fire was completely contained by around 6 p.m. on Sunday.

"We want to make sure that any potential hotspots don’t turn into problem areas and start a fire backed up and spread potentially into neighborhoods," Cory Pippin of Martin County Fire Rescue told WPBF 25 News.

On Monday, firefighters were working with tankers to put water on any of those potential hotspots in the area.

"No damage to property, no injuries," Pippin said. "I really want to stress that that’s thanks to the fire crews that were on the scene making sure that the fire didn’t spread out of control."

Pratt Whitney Road was also closed in the area for several hours as a precaution.

The Hungryland fire also rekindled on Sunday, though crews were able to get it back under control. It is 100% contained, but fire rescue will return on Monday to prevent the fire from reigniting.

"Critical that people use caution in the area, pay attention to the surroundings," Pippin said.