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American Morning

Wildfires Threaten Residential Areas

Aired April 20, 2001 - 11:07   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Going from their frustration with too much water to Florida, southwest Florida, where crews are still trying to get a handle on more than a dozen wildfires that are threatening at least two residential areas. Arson is expected in this case, this on top of a 6,000-acre fire that is still burning farther to the north. This is where we find our Eric Philips, who is joining us from North Port with the latest -- Eric. Good morning once again.

ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Daryn. Two main focuses here today, one being the weather. They're keeping a sharp eye to the sky to see which way the winds are going to blow, as well as the humidity. Those two factors can play a big role on whether or not these fires here are going to flare up again. There are scores of firefighters trying to keep these fires contained, including those from the Florida Division of Forestry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHUCK JOHNSTON, FLORIDA DIVISION OF FORESTRY: What we bring to this is a coordinated air operation. What we bring to it is heavy bulldozers, OK? So that's the mechanized division to this. And we're able to bring those resources in and bring them in very rapidly. And in some of these fires, that's the only way that you are going to stop it. Water alone isn't going to do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILIPS: And I can tell you that right now the other of the two focuses -- I mentioned there were two. The other focus is on the arson aspect of this. Firefighters are saying that at least eight of the fires here they believe were set on purpose because there's no other factors contributing to how these fires got started.

Right now, however, all the fires are contained. That does not mean they're out. But it does mean that they are contained at this hour. And right now, firefighters are working on trying to keep it that way and hopefully douse as many pockets of fire as they possibly can. We're live here in Sarasota County, Florida. I'm Eric Philips.

KAGAN: Eric, tell us what's happening in terms of evacuations.

PHILIPS: No more evacuations right now. A couple of days ago, there were voluntary evacuations. And some residents decided to leave. None of them decided to go to the shelters that had been opened.

But those residents are back in their homes today. They're taking a chance on coming back. They realize that there is some element of danger. But firefighters are saying that that element has greatly reduced because of the fact that those fires are contained.

KAGAN: Eric Philips in North Port, Florida. Thank you, Eric.

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