Hurricane Idalia leaves its mark on Bonita Beach

Hurricane Idalia left its mark on Bonita Beach.

Particularly, Hickory Boulevard, which saw damage from flooding.

The storm swamped million-dollar coastal properties and flooded parts of the two-lane road, the homes sitting steps from the Gulf of Mexico.

Lee County crews from solid waste, utilities and transportation went out before dawn to assess damage and to remove remnants from the storm in problem areas, such as Hickory Boulevard in Bonita Springs.

Hickory Boulevard still shows scars from Hurricane Ian on both sides.

While Idalia didn't compare to Ian in Southwest Florida, it did some damage of its own, with its high winds and storm surge.

Inspectors identified damage to the road shoulder from Idalia early Wednesday, but couldn't immediately repair it, with more coastal flooding expected in the afternoon due to high tide.

"We should be repairing it early Thursday. The road is open," said Betsy Clayton, a spokeswoman for the county.

More: Hurricane Idalia: Updates on schools, flooding, more in Collier County

Hickory Boulevard temporarily closed on Wednesday, following a report of a structure fire at a waterfront mansion at about 11 a.m. It remained closed for about a half-hour, as the Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District quickly responded to what turned out to be an electrical fire.

Nicole Hornberger, a spokeswoman for the fire district, said flames weren't visible, but there was a strong smell of burning, and smoke coming from an electrical panel on the second floor of the house. Crews turned off a back-up generator and called in the power company to cut off the electricity to the property, she said.

The cause of the electrical problems is still unknown, but Idalia did nothing to help the situation, surrounding the home with salt water from the Gulf, which bubbled up from the heat, Hornberger said.

"We can't tell how it was damaged in the first place," she said.

As firefighters responded to the scene, waves crashed ferociously in the background, and continued to move water onshore, and into the street, with vacuum trucks working to suck it up in an attempt to contain it.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office helped control and reroute traffic, during the emergency.

The power of the storm and the waves drew beachgoers to Bonita Beach, off Hickory Boulevard. While some visitors found spots in the parking lot at Bonita Beach Park early on Wednesday, the lot was later coned off, and closed by the county.

The county was assessing damage to all beach parks post-Idalia on Wednesday and recommended that visitors stay away from them until further notice, for safety reasons.

More: Is it safe to swim in the Gulf after Hurricane Idalia? Not in Lee County

Meanwhile, Barefoot Beach Preserve, near Bonita Beach Park, remains closed, due to extensive damage from Ian, and it's not expected to reopen until 2024.

Located just off Bonita Beach Road and Lely Barefoot Boulevard, the Barefoot Beach Access is closed, due the storm, but will reopen Friday.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Bonita Beach saw high winds, flooding from Hurricane Idalia