PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A large mulch fire in western Palm Beach County is creating smoky conditions and forcing road closures on Friday.
A spokesperson for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said the fire was first reported at approximately 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the 35000 block of Connors Highway. It has since grown to roughly 20 acres.
Aerial video on Friday morning from WPTV Chopper 5 showed thick, white smoke billowing over State Road 80.
WATCH: Chopper 5 video of mulch fire in western Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said there are road closures in the area of Hatton Highway and Connors Highway due to limited visibility from the fire.
"Due to the strong winds and large mounds of mulch, this fire has been difficult to contain," a fire rescue spokesperson said in a written statement to WPTV.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said it has been called out to 27 brush fires in the past seven days.
"Right now, in Palm Beach County this is the beginning of the traditional brush fire season. We see an uptick in brush fires usually from middle April until middle of July," Capt. Tom Reyes said. "It's that time when you start getting that heat, but you don't have that humidity and don't have those afternoon thunderstorms or showers that are coming in that help to wet things down."
There are no buildings in danger or reports of injuries, and there are several firebreaks in the area that crews hope will slow the flames.
"I'm not surprised by it, because living out here, you just never know what you're going to expect," Brooke Peaden said. "Everything is a new day and a different experience living out here."
Our dry and windy conditions have helped fuel multiple brush fires over the last few days, including a blaze in a wooded area behind a Costco in Boca Raton.
Palm Beach County said they expect the mulch piles to smolder and smoke over the next couple of days.
