Wildfire Closes Egmont Key Indefinitely

The Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge is closed following a fire that broke out Sunday afternoon on the island, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The island is located southwest of Fort De Soto Beach, at the mouth of Tampa Bay.

From U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with partners to respond to a wildfire on Egmont Key, an island at the mouth of Tampa Bay. The fire started on August 13 around 3:00 p.m. on the north end of the island. Approximately 30-35 acres of the 270-acre island burned. At this time, the fire is 80 to 90 percent contained and yesterday's rain has helped immensely. A contingency plan is in place if the fire starts to become active again.

Fire crews remain on the island monitoring the fire. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff are monitoring the situation and will continue working until the fire is fully contained. The island was evacuated but there were no reported injuries and there was no damage to structures or equipment. The Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge is currently closed until further notice.