FLORIDA’S TOURISM industry has been hit by raging bush fires. Hundreds of American travellers have cancelled their trips to the ‘sunshine state’, where wildfires in Brevard, Orange and Volusia counties have forced the closure of main roads and beauty spots.
Industry officials say the fires have had an impact on tourism, but the situation had not yet reached a crisis point. Florida’s Highway Patrols have begun to monitor the state’s major roads for signs of smoke and fog, in an attempt to prevent a repeat of a recent accident, when six separate collisions on the Beachline Expressway, west of the Brevard County line, involved 26 vehicles.
Troopers will now determine whether to shut down main routes if there’s a danger of new brush fires igniting. It could mean tourists are hit by delays and diversions, but the authorities say safety is a priority.
