Current:Home > ScamsWas there an explosion at a Florida beach? Not quite. But here’s what actually happened -BeyondWealth Learning
Was there an explosion at a Florida beach? Not quite. But here’s what actually happened
View
Date:2025-04-17 02:02:52
A massive, mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke was spotted near New Smyrna Beach on Wednesday, leading some beachgoers into thinking a major "explosion" took place not far from the beach.
But is that what actually happened? There's no need to panic, according to beach officials.
According to the New Smyrna Beach Police Department, there was a large prescribed burn in the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge the same day. The beach is roughly 50 miles north of the refuge, in neighboring Brevard County.
Police also said they have not heard of any reports of explosions in the area.
Starbucks offering half off drinks:How to get the deal
Where is New Smyrna Beach, Florida?
New Smyrna Beach is a city in Volusia County, 16 miles south of Daytona Beach.
Was there an explosion in Florida?
No, there was not. New Smyrna Beach officials said the strange mushroom-shaped cloud was from a controlled burn miles away.
When residents and beachgoers saw a large cloud of smoke, some posted their concerns on social media. One user wrote "explosion reported."
Was there an explosion at New Smyrna Beach?
New Smyrna Beach Fire Chief Shawn VanDemark said there were no reports of an explosion.
Although outside the department’s jurisdiction, VanDemark said he knew about a controlled burn that was expected for Merritt Island.
The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge posted on Facebook a "prescribed burn" was salted for Tuesday and Wednesday "to improve habitat for the endangered Florida scrub jay."
What is a prescribed burn?
According to the Florida's Department of Agriculture, a prescribed burn is the controlled application of fire by a team of fire experts under specified weather conditions. The fires are started under controlled conditions after careful planning.
The benefits of a prescribed burn or fire, also referred to as a controlled burn, are said help reduce wildfire risk and restore health to ecosystems that depend on fire. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, they improve aesthetic values by increasing occurrence and visibility of flowering plants and maintaining open vistas.
The U.S. Forest Service estimates that 4,000 to 5,000 prescribed burns are completed annually by federal land management agencies.
Most prescribed fires in Florida are conducted in the winter and early spring.
Contributing: Brenno Carillo, Natalie Neysa Alund
veryGood! (3)
Related
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- $58M in federal grants aim to help schools, day care centers remove lead from drinking water
- Officer who put woman in police car hit by train didn’t know it was on the tracks, defense says
- With Increased Nutrient Pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, Environmentalists Hope a New Law Will Cleanup Wastewater Treatment in Maryland
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Biden’s Pick for the EPA’s Top Air Pollution Job Finds Himself Caught in the Crossfire
- In Baltimore, Helping Congregations Prepare for a Stormier Future
- T-Mobile buys Ryan Reynolds' Mint Mobile in a $1.35 billion deal
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- Warming Ocean Leaves No Safe Havens for Coral Reefs
Ranking
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- Margot Robbie's Barbie-Inspired Look Will Make You Do a Double Take
- In Baltimore Schools, Cutting Food Waste as a Lesson in Climate Awareness and Environmental Literacy
- Patti LaBelle Experiences Lyric Mishap During Moving Tina Turner Tribute at 2023 BET Awards
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- How the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank affected one startup
- Ray J Calls Out “Fly Guys” Who Slid Into Wife Princess Love’s DMs During Their Breakup
- Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, Diagnosed With Breast Cancer
Recommendation
A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
The FDIC was created exactly for this kind of crisis. Here's the history
The Greek Island Where Renewable Energy and Hybrid Cars Rule
A Big Climate Warning from One of the Gulf of Maine’s Smallest Marine Creatures
McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
Bison severely injures woman in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota
Stocks drop as fears grow about the global banking system
China has reappointed its central bank governor, when many had expected a change