Firefighters continue to monitor a site after an illegal campfire burned 36 acres and sent smoke across Cape Coral on Saturday, Feb. 28.

According to a social media post by Cape Coral Fire Department, they and the Florida Forestry Service had it 95% contained by late Saturday and monitored it throughout the night.

A brush fire along Del Prado near Kismet on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, was determined to be 36 acres in size and was 95% contained by the end of the day, Cape Coral Fire Department reported. They determined the cause was an illegal campfire.

A brush fire along Del Prado near Kismet on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, was determined to be 36 acres in size and was 95% contained by the end of the day, Cape Coral Fire Department reported. They determined the cause was an illegal campfire.

The fire had grown to about 14 acres about 1 p.m. Saturday when smoke created visibility problems and officials shut down Del Parado Boulevard near Kismet Parkway and Andalusia Boulevard.

They reopened the road hours later with a warning to drive carefully.

Sunday morning, firefighters were to continue with brush trucks to contain the area and combat hot spots.

Investigators determined an illegal campfire started the blaze.

No fires under Lee County burn ban

Cape Coral, and all of Lee County, are under a burn ban. Cape Coral says no to fireworks, bonfires and ATVs racing over grass as the New Year begins with the city in a severe drought.

The entirety of Lee County is affected by drought, with 2025 among the 7 driest in 131 years, drought.gov states.

No open flames are permitted to prevent fires like Saturday’s, the department said, saying it had the potential to threaten homes and businesses,

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor map, Cape Coral remains in an severe drought.

The According to The Weather Channel, Cape Coral has a 17% chance of rain on Sunday.

Stacey Henson is the breaking news and visuals editor for the Naples Daily News and Fort Myers News-Press. You may reach her at shenson@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Cape Coral firefighters determine illegal campfire burned 36 acres