HAWTHORNE, Fla. (AP) — A brush fire in north Florida has forced officials to close an elementary school and is causing headaches for motorists.
Putnam County School Board officials decided that Ochwilla Elementary School will be closed Tuesday because smoke from the smoldering fire is expected to blow onto the campus. Officials say buses would have had to be rerouted to avoid smoke-covered roads near the school.
The Gainesville Sun reports the fire has been burning for about a week and covers some 700 acres along the Alachua-Putnam county line.
The Florida Highway Patrol says some roads have been periodically closed due to smoke.
The Sun reports that forestry officials say the cause of the fire has not been determined.
Source: Gainesville Sun, Associated Press
