April 15, 1999--10 p.m.
David F. Byron, APR
Community Information DirectorLAKE HELEN FIRE BREAKS FIRE LINE; FIREFIGHTERS SEEK TO BUILD NEW FIRE BREAKS TO PREVENT ADVANCE SOUTHEAST
With winds gusting to more than 30 miles per hour Thursday afternoon, a stubborn wildfire which erupted Monday to scorch 450 acres, broke fire containment lines and advanced southeast late in the afternoon.
A team of firefighters and support crews from Volusia County Fire Services, City of Deltona, City of Orange City, County Public Works and the Florida Division of Forestry battled the blaze near Deep Creek, east of DeLand and north of Lake Helen.
The blaze scorched another 150 acres Thursday. No injuries were reported and no structures were lost. County Fire Services reported that four residences on Damascus Road, south of S.R. 44, were in the fire’s path. The residences were protected by stationing fire trucks nearby and no evacuations were necessary, according to Deputy Fire Chief Jim Mauney, the Operations Chief.
Mike Kuypers, the DOF Division Chief from Bunnell, headed the DOF which was on scene working the fire from the ground and in the air.
"It’s a pretty serious out there," he said, in reference to the situation statewide where large blazes were raising havoc in the southern part of Florida. "The weather doesn’t look very promising tomorrow (Friday)." Kuypers said the DOF weather forecast called for a front to make its way south through the Volusia County area. The accompanying rain, which had been predicted earlier in the week may not materialize, Kuypers explained at the 9 p.m. briefing at the Lake Helen command post. In addition, wind direction shifts with the front could pose problems for firefighters Friday.
The game plan established late Thursday was for crews to continue their ground assault on the southeast side of the Lake Helen fire throughout the night and to hit it hard Friday from the ground and from the air, weather permitting.
County Fire Services re-activated its Field Operations Center at the Indian Lake Fire Training Center, west of Daytona Beach and maintained a Lake Helen command post at the corner of Lemon and Prevatt avenues.
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