Broward County

In Broward County, South Florida, a fire continues to burn and grow. While authorities try to combat it, thunderstorms move through the area, producing hundreds of lightning strikes over the Everglades.

On Monday night, two fires began burning, presumably due to lightning produced by the storms that passed through the region. It's important to remember that South Florida remains under a drought that leaves much vegetation available for burning. On Tuesday, the fire continued to grow, and by Wednesday morning, air quality in the region had been affected by the west wind, which carried smoke to populated areas. Ash fell on Wednesday afternoon on populated cities such as Weston, Sunrise, Cooper City, and Plantation.

The fire on Thursday burned more than 40,000 acres and is only 10% contained. Strong and severe thunderstorms passed through the area in the afternoon, which may have seemed like rain could help contain the blaze. Still, these storms brought hundreds more lightning strikes, putting firefighters on hold as they battled the fire, named Mile Marker 39, just west of Weston and Sunrise in South Florida.