Crews in South Florida were trying to contain a wildfire in Big Cypress National Preserve that had burned more than 25,000 acres (100 square kilometers) near the immigration detention facility known as “ Alligator Alcatraz ” as of Wednesday.
The fire caused periodic lane closures due to smoke and poor visibility on the stretch of Interstate 75 known as Alligator Alley, which connects Florida’s east and west coasts and runs through the vast Everglades wetlands. Wildfires are common the dry winter season.
However, the wildfire posed no threat Wednesday to the state-run “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration jail, said Stephanie Hartman, director of communications for the Florida Department of Emergency Management.
“The fire is situated 20 miles (32 kilometers) to the west of the facility and is burning in the opposite direction. Thanks to the increased humidity levels, we are seeing faster fire recovery and containment,” she said.
“Alligator Alcatraz,” which opened last July on a little-used airfield deep in the Everglades, has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration crackdown and holds detainees who the federal government is seeking to deport.
Hartman said the department is in touch with local and state crews regarding the wildfires, who will give them a 24-hour notice if an evacuation at Alligator Alcatraz becomes necessary. She said evacuation procedures are well rehearsed, allowing a quick and efficient response.
She did not immediately respond to a question about the number of detainees at the facility.
When it opened in July 2025, state officials said “Alligator Alcatraz” would have a capacity for 3,000 detainees that could be expanded to 5,000. According to recent reports revealed during a series of court hearings in Fort Myers in late January, there were about 1,500 detainees.
A strong cold front Sunday also brought dry air, which resulted in red flag warning for fire conditions across much of the state, said Anthony Reynes, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Miami.
The relative humidity was increasing on Wednesday, helping ease the conditions that fueled the fire, Reynes said. Still, conditions remain ripe for wildfires due to winds from the south and dry soil and grass, he said.
He said very little rain is in the forecast for the rest of the week, meaning severe drought conditions are continuing across the state.
___
Associated Press writer Gisela Salomon in Miami contributed.