Wildfire shuts down a part of I-95 in Florida, snarling traffic as Memorial Day weekend begins

The Yellow Bluff Fire has scorched 450 acres and is 30% contained, the Florida Forest Service's Jacksonville office said. It started Wednesday, and detours are in place as it burns adjacent to I-95.

The Florida Highway Patrol is diverting traffic off I-95, and both northbound and southbound directions are closed in Duval County, said Officer Christian Hancock of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

I-95 is a major thoroughfare along the East Coast from Miami to the US/Canada border in Maine, and is also key to accessing major beaches in Florida.

"With the Memorial Day travel weekend approaching, all travelers should closely monitor the media for updates on safety and I-95's reopening," said Commissioner Nicole Fried of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The National Weather Service in Jacksonville has issued a dense smoke advisory in the area. Visibility will be reduced to a quarter mile or less, it said.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

from CNN.com - RSS Channel https://cnn.it/2W0JTrJ