Was a 700-acre fire at Myakka State Park due to a controlled burn?

The controlled burn was planned for a smaller portion of land. A day after it was conducted, a wildfire broke out, torching hundreds more acres. The specific reason is unclear. 

A video capturing the blaze by a resident amassed 720,000 views before being deleted on social media.

Sarasota County, the park’s location, has been under a burn ban since late March due to severe drought conditions. It will lift after the drought index falls below 500 for one week.  

Residents cannot have open fires of any kind during this period. Outdoor burns approved by the Florida Forest Service are exempted.

Experts plan controlled burns under specified weather conditions to maintain fire-dependent ecosystems. The burns’ benefits include promoting tree growth, removing unwanted species and improving habitats for endangered species.

Myakka River State Park spans 37,000 acres of land and forms part of the 80,000-acre Myakka Island conservation area.