25,000-Acre Wildfire Rages Uncontained Near Florida's Alligator Alley

The wildfire, burning in Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County, has exploded to 25,000 acres—nearly 47 square miles, larger than Disney World—since sparking early Monday, February 24, 2026.[1][3] Fast-moving flames neared the western edge of Alligator Alley near the Immokalee exit, with video showing heavy smoke drifting toward the interstate under dry, windy conditions.[2] Interstate 75, the vital east-west corridor known as Alligator Alley, has faced intermittent closures due to visibility hazards, while smoke blankets areas north toward Immokalee, Clewiston, LaBelle and Hendry County.[1][3] Florida Highway Patrol monitors I-75 for smoke issues, and crews conduct back burns to prevent the fire from jumping the road.[3] Firefighters from multiple agencies, including the Florida Forest Service, deploy helicopters and ground teams against the uncontained blaze, now at 24,000-25,000 acres as of February 25.[1][3] Two other fires complicate efforts: a 30-acre blaze near the Lee-Collier county line by Crew and Benita National Golf Course, and another along State Road 41 past Chokoloskee.[3] Recent rains provided some moisture but failed to halt spotting in the drought-stricken region, echoing earlier fires like the 35,000-acre National Fire that repeatedly shut Alligator Alley in February-March.[4] Located 20 miles west of 'Alligator Alcatraz,' the Glades County detention facility holding about 1,500 migrants, the fire burns away from the site due to current winds, state officials say.[1] Florida Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Stephanie Hartman noted the blaze moves in the opposite direction, with no impacts expected.[1] Advocates like Tom Kennedy express skepticism, urging caution as winds could shift, though family concerns focus more on facility conditions than the fire.[1] The state, operating under ICE agreements, would handle any evacuation.