May 19 – the fourth day when South Florida is fighting with the flames. The fire has not yet reached people’s houses or other properties, but the smoke that it provokes is beginning to pose health problems.

Infants, children, pregnant women, older adults and people with chronic heart or lung diseases, such as asthma, are the most exposed to the effects of heavy smoke. Breathing becomes such a torture for some of them that the calls to 911 increase day by day.

In such panic, they forget to take into consideration the doctors’ advice to call the Emergency number only in case they see flames or their house is on fire. The consequence is the increase in patients with at least 5 % than the previous week, as the doctors at Broward General Medical Center have observed. Everybody is complaining of smoke inhalation.

The forecast for the following days is thought to be in people’s favor. Meteorologists announced there are 30% chances of rain. Although the rain will successfully help people fight with the flames, the wind will increase the smoke and move it rapidly from the Everglades across the inland of Miami. The visibility is expected to lower heavily in some areas.

Another fear of the authorities is the fire threat against an endangered species, Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, one among the first species to be listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in March 1967.