Fires that burned 22,000 acres in Miami-Dade nearly contained. What about air?

The fires in West Miami-Dade that have burned nearly 22,000 acres since last week were nearly contained Monday, but air quality across the county remains a concern.

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“Even though the containment is high, it is still burning,” said Chris Fisher, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Miami. “It just means that it’s burning inside that containment.”

The Quarry Fire near Northwest 137th Avenue and 41st Street, west of Doral, has burned through around 19,000 acres and was 97% contained as of Sunday, according to the Florida Forest Service fire map. Near Northwest 122nd Avenue and 58th Street, the Wells Fire burned around 2,750 aces and was 85% contained. A third, a 330-acre wildfire in the Everglades, was 15% contained as of Monday.

Since a June 14 thunderstorm sparked the Quarry and Wells fires, dozens of firefighters have been battling the blazes and hundreds left their homes. Smoke, soot and ash blew into nearby communities.

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While the fires appear to be winding down, an air quality alert for Miami-Dade County remains through 3 p.m. Tuesday. The surface smoke will likely worsen overnight, as thunderstorm winds settle down, Fisher said.

There’s a chance of showers and thunderstorms Tuesday morning and afternoon, bringing patchy smoke across metro Miami-Dade, according to the National Weather Service. It’s expected to be humid with highs in the mid-90s and lows in the upper-70s.

From the air quality to the heat to the humidity, “it’s just important for people to take it easy,” Fisher said.

People should limit their time outdoors in the evening and early morning, he said. If possible, stay inside and keep windows closed. Anyone with any type of sensitivity, and those who work outdoors overnight are the most vulnerable.

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