Firefighters make headway on Favoretta fire

Firefighters are making headway on the mulch fire at Arrow Materials near Favoretta after using new strategies to extinguish it.

By Sierra Williams
| 3:52 p.m. February 2, 2023

Palm Coast Observer

Firefighters are making headway on the mulch fire that has been burning since November in Favoretta.

The fire at Arrow Materials, a mulch company located at 295 County Road 200, began Nov. 26 and was about an acre big initially. Firefighters are using new strategies to extinguish the flames now, according to a press release from Flagler County.

The strategies include dismantling it into smaller piles that are impacted more by water.

Flagler County Fire Rescue has been assisting the Florida Forest Service and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the lead response agencies, the press release said.

Florida Forest Service District Manager Anthony Petellat said they placed around 103,000 gallons of water on the smaller piles on the first day.

“There is some smoke emitting from the piles but it is minimal, comparatively speaking," he said. "We are making great progress.”

Crews had to wait for enough of the initial acre to burn before it was safe enough to dismantle it, the press release said. Flagler County Fire Rescue Chief Mike Tucker said a part of their work has been keeping the fire from other large piles on the property.

“We aren’t quite ready to give a timeline of when we believe this fire will be fully extinguished,” Tucker said. “We’ve been working eight or nine hours straight every day and will continue to do so.”