C.J. Gish
Update (Thursday, 8:20 p.m.): According to a Levy County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) social media post, the Rosewood fire was at 80% containment and had burned 150 acres. On Friday, crews would return to do mop-up work and evacuation orders were canceled.
Original story:
Firefighters are battling a 60-acre blaze fueled by high winds in the Rosewood area near Cedar Key.
According to a Levy County Emergency Management (LCEM) social media post on Thursday at 3:30 p.m., evacuations have been ordered north of State Road 24 at the end of SW 124 Terrace. The evacuations are also in the area west of Shiloh Road to County Road 347 and SW 63Place south to SR 24.
“We have six local fire crews from Cedar Key, Chiefland, Fanning Springs, Inglis and Bronson out there,” said Lt. Scott Tummond, Levy County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. “The State Department of Forestry has four suppression units plus a tanker, fixed wing and helicopter out of Lake City.”
Tummond said a backhoe and camper trailer had been lost so far and that the fire originally started near 7710 SW 124th Terrace.
“The wind is blowing to the northwest right now but this evening it will come off the (Gulf) coast and push in the opposite direction,” Tummond said.
Dry conditions are also contributing to the burn and there are few access roads for fire crews to battle the blaze, Tummond noted.