Beulah, Santa Rosa County Wildfires Now 90% Contained
May 12, 2020
The two large wildfires burning in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are now 90% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service.
The Hurst Hammock fire in Beulah burned through 1,191 acres, and the 5 Mile Swamp Fire in Santa Rosa County burned 2,215 acres, the Forest Service said.
On Monday, crews continued to improve the established containment lines along with mop-up operations on the hot spots that continue to smoke and smolder. Firefighters plan the same approach for Tuesday.
There are additional attack resources staged on both fires that will respond to any new wildfires that may occur. There are 123 personnel assigned to the fire, along with a fixed wing aircraft and a medium helicopter assigned to the fires.
There is also a U.S. Forest Service large tanker airplane on standby in Lake City if needed.
The Florida Forest Service said they have determined the Hurst Hammock Fire was caused by humans and is not the result of natural causes.
Crews are continuing to patrol I-10 in Santa Rosa to monitor for smoke impacts.
Food Trucks At Equestrian Center Now Just Two Days A Week. Here’s The Schedule.
May 12, 2020
The food truck schedule at the Escambia County Equestrian Center in Beulah has been reduced to two days each week — Tuesday and Saturdays.
Here is the schedule:
Saturday, May 12
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Beck’s Jamaican
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Joe’s Caribbean
- 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sneaky Tiki Shaved Ice
- 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. SmallCakes – gluten free and vegan cupcakes available
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Arlene Williams BBQ & Grill
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Chick-fil-A
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Happy Taco Truck
Escambia County, Alabama, COVID-19 Case Count Stands At 37
May 12, 2020
The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Escambia County, Alabama, is now 37, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
There have been three deaths in the county, with 756 total tests reported. That’s a positive rate of about 4.9%.
The Alabama Department of Health reported 10,164 total positive cases in the state out of 129,444 tests. There have been 403 deaths and 1,268 hospitalizations reported statewide.
Escambia County (AL) Man Facing Multiple Child Pornography Charges
May 12, 2020
An Escambia County, Alabama, is facing multiple child pornography charges after parents reported questionable social media behavior to authorities.
Richard James Rabon, 42, was charged Monday with five counts of possession of child pornography and booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center without bond pending a court appearance
He was arrested after a search warrant was executed in the 700 block of Williamson Street in East Brewton. Investigators said they located multiple images of child pornography on his phone.
“The case evolved from numerous parents in the community reporting different comments and messages that were received from Rabon on social media that they felt were inappropriate,” Escambia County (AL) Sheriff Heath Jackson said. “A joint operation was put together and all agencies worked tirelessly to bring this matter to a close.”
Agencies that participated in the joint operation were the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, East Brewton Police Department, Alabama State Bureau of Investigators, Brewton Police Department, Conecuh County Sheriff’s Office, Conecuh Covington County Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Emergency Water Supply Restored To Century Prison; Nearly 200 Inmates Transferred Out
May 11, 2020
Update: The broken water main on prison property was repaired by Monday afternoon, and water service restored, according to Florida Senator Doug Broxson.
He said full water pressure had been restored to the prison, and now “there’s no rationing of toilets”. The water is still not drinkable as water lines are being flushed. Inmates are still being provided bottled water.
Previous story:
Nearly 200 inmates were transferred out of Century Correctional Institution Sunday due to no water.
Florida Sen. Doug Broxson told NorthEscambia.com late Sunday afternoon that 190 close custody inmates were transferred from CCI to other facilities after a water main break inside the prison just days after the water supply to the prison failed.
Inmates were already drinking bottled water after a water well serving the prison failed last week. Broxson said additional potable water and temporary restroom facilities were brought in after the water main failure, but the situation was not conducive to security protocols for the close custody inmates.
He said the water main was expected to be repaired by Monday, allowing the prison to return to an emergency water supply.
The Town of Century water well serving CCI failed last Thursday and water in the town’s elevated tank located at the prison continued a supply of water until Friday.
Friday afternoon, an emergency interconnect using two, two-inch fire hoses was made from Central Water Works fire hydrants on the south side of Tedder Road to the Town of Century’s fire hydrants on the north side of the road. That, according to Century Interim City Manager Vernon Prather was supplying adequate water to the prison.
The Central Water Works water supply to the prison was at a higher pressure than that of Century. That is believed to be why the 10-inch water main on prison property failed, leaving the prison without any water during the repair.
Construction on a permanent solution to the water crisis is expected to begin this week. Tedder Road is closed from Highway 29 to the prison due to the fire hoses across the road and the construction process.
The Town of Century’s well at the prison did not supply water to the town and the downtime will have no impact on local residents, Prather said. Likewise, Central Water Water Works officials said they have the capacity to supply the prison, and their customers should see no impacts.
Central Water Works was founded in 1965 and provides water for about 1,000 members in Byrneville, McDavid and outside the municipal service areas of Century and Flomaton.
NorthEscambia.com will have ongoing coverage.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys Lawn Business Just Feet Away From Christian School On Johnson Avenue
May 11, 2020
Fire destroyed a lawn care business located just feet from the Trinitas Christian School on Johnson Avenue Monday afternoon.
The fire was at the Man-I-Cure Lawn Service at 3233 East Johnson Avenue. The 4,000 square foot metal frame building is, at its closest point, only about 35 feet from the corner of Trinitas Christian School.
Students and staff were evacuated from the private school. There were no injuries reported.
The school may have suffered some heat damage, but did not catch on fire.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Fence Fire Extinguished With Only Minor Damage To A Nearby Home
May 11, 2020
Firefighters quickly extinguished a privacy fence fire in Cantonment Monday afternoon, preventing the potential spread to several nearby homes.
It happened a little after 2:30 in the 700 block of Escambia Avenue, just off Forrest Street. The fence fire did cause minor heat damage to the vinyl siding on a home just a few feet away.
There were no injuries.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia, Santa Rosa COVID-19 Cases Up By Six On Monday
May 11, 2020
There were only six new COVID-19 cases in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties reported in the Monday data release from the Florida Department of Health.
There were three new cases reported in Escambia County Friday for a total of 641 positive people. The Santa Rosa County total increase by three to 176.
Of the 18 deaths in Escambia County, 13 have been long-term care facility residents. There have been eight deaths in Santa Rosa County, all outside long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 40,982 cases including 39,888 Florida residents. There have been 7,224 hospitalizations and 1,735 deaths.
- Total cases — 641 (+3 since Sunday)
- Pensacola — 491
- Cantonment — 41
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 1
- Molino – 4
- Century — 2
- Hospitalizations: 48*
- Deaths — 18
- Male — 232
- Female — 315
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 176 (+3 since Sunday)
- Milton — 97
- Navarre — 33
- Gulf Breeze — 24
- Pace — 16
- Jay — 2
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 23*
- Deaths — 9
- Male — 118
- Female — 56
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 94
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 40,982
- Florida residents — 39,888
- Deaths — 1,735
- Hospitalizations — 7,224*
*“Hospitalizations” is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. These people may no longer be hospitalized. This number does not represent the number of COVID-19 positive persons currently hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized.
Truck Brings Down Lines; Cuts Power And Highway 29, Muscogee Road Traffic Light
May 11, 2020
Am oversize truck hauling a piece of equipment brought down lines on Becks Lake Road in Cantonment Monday morning and damaged several utility poles.
It led to a power disruption and an outage of the traffic light at Muscogee Road/Becks Lane Road and Highway 29. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to direct traffic during the outage.
There were no injuries reported.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Beulah, Santa Rosa Wildfires Now 75% Contained
May 11, 2020
The Hurst Hammock Fire near Beulah is now 1,248 acres and is 75% contained, and the 5 Mile Swamp Fire in Santa Rosa County is 2,215 acres and is also 75% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service Service.
The Hurst Hammock fire was caused by humans, not nature, the Forest Service said, but the exact cause has not been determined.
Both fires stayed within their established contained lines on Sunday. Crews continued to patrol neighborhoods and communities to identify hot spots and implement thorough mop up operations to extinguish the heat and smoke in those areas. There are currently 182 personnel assigned to these fires.
On Monday, crews will continue to work to keep the fires within the containment zone and continue with mop up operations to reduce smoke. Additional crews have been identified for initial attack to assist the Florida Forest Service – Blackwater Forestry Center on any new fires that may occur in their coverage area which includes Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties.
A Florida Forest Service fixed-wing aircraft referred to as an Air Attack continues to patrol both fire areas to monitor fire behavior throughout the day. There is also a medium helicopter with a 300 gallon bucket assigned to the two fires if needed.
After a five-day, multi-agency response to the Five Mile Swamp Fire, Santa Rosa County Emergency Management is pulling back structure fire equipment and personnel. The Florida Forest Service will retain command of the fire. The Florida Forest Service Blue Incident Management Team, which took command at noon on Thursday, is based out of the Santa Rosa County Emergency Operations Center.
Santa Rosa County’s damage assessment team has determined 14 residential structures were destroyed (seven damaged) with a total of 27 buildings destroyed. The estimated value for residential structure losses is $1,902,887. No responders or residents were injured. Monetary donations for long-term recovery efforts for residents who have lost their homes can be made to Safer Santa Rosa.
A strike team of engines out of Tallahassee from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is now in place conducting mop up operations to minimize smoke impacts to surrounding neighborhoods such as Robinson Point and Garcon Point.