Gulf State Park fire 100 percent contained

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WALA) - Firefighters in southern Baldwin County said the Gulf State Park wildfire is 100 percent contained. That good news could not have come at a better time.

Smoke rolled over the Gulf State Park fire mobile command center Thursday, but people in town and those planning to come for the Fourth of July weekend can breathe a sigh of relief. Firefighters reported that they have the blaze under control on all fronts.

As the sun set on day six of fighting the Gulf State Park fire, much had changed. Firefighters had all but eliminated the dry material within the fire using controlled burns.

However, the same problems that have plagued those battling the blaze thus far stayed the same. The wind shifted almost 180 degrees late in the afternoon, which led to increased burning along the containment lines.

"We have that expectation," said Jerry Smith with the Alabama Forestry Commission. "We monitor the weather forecast and generally in this part of the world, you have an outflow from land to sea, and then you expect that afternoon shift, so that's nothing of a big surprise for us. We were prepared for that."

They refocused their efforts on those down wind of the blaze and had firefighters on stand-by.

This morning, dry acreage within the fire was estimated to be all but gone. However, an afternoon run proved otherwise.

"You can't put them out in these conditions, so they will continue to smoke and smolder in the area even after the majority of the fuel is burned out," said Smith. "Containment at this point in time is 100 percent, so we have no escapes that we're aware of."

According to Smith, the fire isn't spreading anywhere, and things are going according to plan. Only time will tell if those lines hold.

The Alabama Forestry Commission estimates that just under 900 acres have burned.