Crews battle fire in Lochloosa area

Press release from Alachua County

Updated at 10:15 p.m.

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County Fire Rescue and Florida Forest Service (FFS) have several units on scene of another wildfire around S. County Road 325 and SE County Road 346 in Hawthorne.

CR 325 is closed from CR 346 to SE 152nd Lane. Drivers on I-75 and U.S. Hwy 441 in the Paynes Prairie area may encounter significantly reduced visibility. Drivers are urged to use extreme caution by reducing speed, increasing following distance, and using low‑beam headlights to improve visibility in smoky or fog‑like conditions.

At 9 p.m., FFS announces that the fire still covers 100+ acres and is 0% contained. Crews will be able to map the fire tomorrow to determine a more accurate acreage and to determine containment. Firefighters will remain on scene throughout the night, working to improve containment lines.

At 6:45 p.m., FFS announced that they have 14 dozers and 6 engines, a South Florida Brush Strike Team of engines, a St. Johns River Water Management District engine and dozer, 3 helicopters, and 1 air attack aircraft currently working this fire. Dozers are continuing to plow containment lines, and helicopters are dropping water to stop the forward progression of the fire.

The smoke plume from the Lochloosa Fire is heading west, causing smoky conditions throughout Gainesville, including the Archer Road area, Paynes Prairie, and other parts of Alachua County, west of the fire. Please use caution if driving in areas where visibility is affected.

The fire has grown to 100+ acres with long-range spotting. No structures are immediately threatened at this time. Alachua County Fire Rescue did a reverse 911 for notification to residents within a 3-mile radius of the fire.

Multiple Forestry units are en route, and two Florida National Guard helicopters have been ordered.

An earlier fire located near U.S. Hwy 301 and SE 162nd Avenue covered approximately an acre in a heavily wooded area and is now contained, according to FFS.

Reminder to residents: ACFR currently has a drone in the air. Flying personal drones over or near active fires puts firefighters at serious risk and can interfere with critical suppression operations. Interfering with wildfire operations is dangerous and illegal. Individuals who do so may face civil penalties and criminal prosecution.