I-75 in Lee County reopened after wildfire prompted temporary closure Saturday

The Lee County Sheriff's Office reported on Facebook early Sunday that all lanes of Interstate 75, in both directions, were open for motorists.

Two northbound lanes of Interstate 75 in south Lee County had reopened Saturday evening, about an hour after a wildfire prompted the Florida Highway Patrol to close all northbound lanes from Bonita Beach Road to Corkscrew Road.

The right lane remained closed from mile marker 116 to mile marker 118, for onsite fire / emergency crews, the FHP said.

In a travel advisory at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, the Florida Highway Patrol announced a closure of northbound I-75 lanes the closure Bonita Beach to Corkscrew roads due to smoke and the proximity of the fire to the interstate.

About an hour later, the left and center lanes were reopened, the FHP said.

Southbound lanes remained open, though traffic was slowed.

Northbound drivers were advised to use U.S. 41 or Imperial Parkway/Three Oaks Parkway as alternative routes.

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At the time of the first advisory, Lt. Gregory Bueno, a spokeman for the FHP, said he didn't have any details about the size of the fire, or how and when it started. He described it as a developing situation.

The FHP plans to provide updates as needed, he said.

In a tweet Saturday evening, the Florida Forest Service – Caloosahatchee Forestry Center reported the fire involved about 20 acres in the vicinity of Kent Road and Terry Street and advised the area should be avoided, with firefighters on scene.

At the time, the fire was 70% contained, with the cause reported as unknown.

FHP offered these tips to stay safe in low visibility conditions:

• DRIVE WITH LIGHTS on low beam. High beams will only be reflected off the fog and impair visibility even more. Your lights help other drivers see your vehicle, so be sure they all work. Keep your windshield and headlights clean, to reduce the glare and increase visibility.

• SLOW DOWN – and watch your speedometer before you enter a patch of fog.

• WATCH OUT for slow-moving and parked vehicles. Open you window a little and listen for traffic you cannot see.

• REDUCE THE DISTRACTIONS in your vehicle. Turn off the radio and cell phone. Your full attention is required.

• USE WIPERS AND DEFROSTERS liberally for maximum visibility. Sometimes it is difficult to determine if poor visibility is due to fog or moisture on the windshield.

• USE THE RIGHT EDGE of the road or painted road markings as a guide.

• BE PATIENT avoid passing and/or changing lanes.

• SIGNAL TURNS well in advance and brake early as you approach a stop.

• DO NOT STOP on a freeway or heavily traveled road. You could become the first link in a chain-reaction collision. If you must pull off the road, signal, then carefully pull off as far as possible and turn your hazard lights on.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Fire closed part of I-75 in Bonita and Estero for hours