Florida smoke lifts; I-75 opened for day

WESTON, Fla., April 25 (UPI) -- South Florida's "Alligator Alley" highway was reopened for daylight travel only Saturday as smoke from a massive wildfire cleared up to an extent.

The Florida Highway Patrol reopened the 78-mile stretch of Interstate 75 at noon but planned to close it down again at 7 p.m. EDT, forcing motorists traveling east and west to go back to using the lengthy detours they have been navigating since Wednesday.

"People are upset, but it's basically for their safety," Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Wysocky told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "The smoke may lift for a little while. But we can't predict what the winds are going to do with the smoke."

The smoke is being generated by a huge wildfire burning in the Big Cypress National Preserve. The blaze has consumed about 10,000 acres in a drought-stricken area of Collier County. The newspaper said little or no rain was in the forecast.