- A prescribed burn in Picayune State Forest is believed to have contributed to a deadly crash on Interstate 75.
- State officials said the fire was extinguished about 12 hours before the multi-vehicle pileup occurred.
- Meteorologists report that cool air likely trapped the smoke, pushing it down and reducing visibility on the highway.
A spokesman for the state of Florida said Dec. 12 that a fire east of Naples was completely extinguished by the afternoon, about 12 hours before a deadly vehicle crash occurred nearby on Interstate 75.
A prescribed burn was held at Picayune State Forest in rural Collier County Dec. 11, and it appears that smoke from that fire contributed to the crash, according to Florida Highway Patrol reports.
Mitigation specialist Jesse Lavender said the fire was out on the afternoon of Dec. 11…