Winds play key role in fire burn out

GULF SHORES, Ala. (WALA) - North winds pushed smoke over the beach in Gulf Shores Wednesday. The thick smoke was actually a good sign that backburns designed by the Alabama Forestry Commission were working.

Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft said the burning of the Gulf State Park isn't as bad as it may appear. He said the park is 6,200 acres and as of Wednesday, about 1,000 acres had burned.

"As important as the state park is, this burn will not hurt it. This burn in some areas will actually help. This debris has been there a long time. So if you are coming to this area and you are coming to the beach, you are going to have a good weekend. We are not going to be affected by this, assuming everything continues to go [well, and] indications are that it will," Craft said.

Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said the smoke won't be a problem in just a day or two.

"It is just not going to be an issue," said Kennon. "The winds will be prevailing from the south-southwest. The smoke will be going that way. It will not affect any of the beach. It will not affect, for the most part, any of the back waters. It really should be an absolute non-issue. Traffic has never been affected and won't be affected, so I don't see any issue whatsoever for anyone coming down to enjoy the Fourth."

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley flew over the wildfire Wednesday.

"Well if you look at where the backburns are beginning right now, there is a walking trail that is paved. That is the place we are starting it, with the wind coming this way," said Bentley. "This is perfect timing for it. You feel that wind right now, and it's blowing the smoke right now, and that's a good thing. That's the way we want it to blow right now."

The governor opened access to state equipment for local firefighters to use. The National Guard has stepped in as well with a helicopter that has dropped hundreds of gallons of water on the fire. Bentley said he expects the fire to be out soon.

Alabama Forester Gary Cole said weather conditions will play a dominant role in the success of the burn out over the next 24 hours.

"You feel that breeze right now? How strong it is? That is terrible in firefighting terms," said Cole. "Airborne embers can travel a quarter mile, half a mile and start a new fire. By coming this way, there is not a lot that it can burn. Going the other way, it can, and so the window of opportunity is today.

"We have it, right now, 95 percent controlled. We call it contained inside our fire breaks at this time, but the operation that is going on right now is to burn out all unburned fuels to make this thing safe."