Crews watch Boca Raton brush fire Friday for possible hot spots to reignite

More than 24 hours after a brush fire ignited in Boca Raton, fire rescue crews will remain in the area throughout Friday to watch for any possible hot spots to re-ignite.

A passer-by first alerted fire rescue to the blaze shortly before 5 a.m. Thursday after seeing smoke and flames while taking a walk on the El Rio Trail, Boca Raton Fire Rescue said in a post on X. The flames were “deeply entrenched” in the wooded area at 7400 Congress Ave., which is located behind a Costco Wholesale store.

It took nearly three hours and as many as 50 firefighters for Boca Raton Fire Rescue to get it under control by Thursday afternoon, but it re-ignited shortly before 6 p.m., according to the fire department.

By late Thursday night, crews were still managing the blaze and drivers were urged from the early evening into the night to avoid the area of Congress Avenue at Clint Moore Road, where Congress Avenue was closed in all directions until shortly before 9 a.m. Friday. Drones from the Boca Police Department were used Thursday night to find hot spots, the fire department said on X.

As of about 2 p.m. Friday, Boca Raton Fire Rescue remained at the scene, along with officials from the Florida Division of Forestry, the county’s Department of Environmental Resources Management and the Sheriff’s Office Wildland Unit.

“Together, the agencies are conducting backburns to remove underbrush in the area that could potentially reignite,” Boca Raton Fire Rescue said on the X social media platform. “These controlled burns are currently causing smoke columns.”

Sidewalks and entrances to the El Rio Trail in the area are closed as of Friday afternoon. Drivers are still urged to be cautious in the area.

Fire rescue officials said Thursday afternoon that 4 to 5 acres had burned since the morning. It was not immediately clear Friday afternoon how many total acres have burned.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.