Santa's Enchanted Forest Will Open Next Week Despite Recent Fire

Earlier this week, Santa’s Enchanted Forest experienced an on-property fire with a blaze so large it could be seen from the Palmetto Expressway. But that measly fire isn't putting a damper on this holiday season. Santa's will proceed with business as usual and open next Thursday. According to Miami-Dade Fire...

By Carolina del Busto

October 25, 2018

Image: Santa welcomes you to his enchanted forest.

Santa welcomes you to his enchanted forest. Photo by Karli Evans

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Earlier this week, Santa’s Enchanted Forest experienced a fire with flames so large they could be seen from the Palmetto Expressway. But the blaze won't put a damper on this holiday season. The holiday theme park will proceed as scheduled and open next Thursday, November 1.

According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's public information officer, Lt. Kristen Miller, her department received a call at 7:29 p.m. Sunday regarding a fire on the property. Several units were dispatched, and the blaze was quickly contained and extinguished. "There was speculation of it being an electrical fire," Miller says. "After further investigation, we can confirm that the cause was indeed electrical and most of the damage was in the bushes of the park."

No injuries or property damage were reported.

New Times reached out to Santa's, and a representative by the name of Brando responded via email: "The fire was small, maybe 20 feet, and didn't impact anything. No one was able to determine what caused it."

However, LD Buddy Cormican, director of Santa's, replied to a comment on his personal Facebook page this past Tuesday: "Battery scooter rental up in smoke." The response came after a friend had inquired about Buddy's safety and asked what had happened. The official cause is less specific and being labeled an "electrical fire."

Brando also confirmed the fire will not affect Santa's opening day. In fact, the show will go on with a grand-opening tree-lighting ceremony. Let's hope those lights are flame resistant.

Santa's Enchanted Forest. Grand-opening tree-lighting ceremony 5 p.m. Thursday, November 1, at 7900 Bird Rd., Miami; santasenchantedforest.com. The park will remain open through January 6, 2019.

Carolina del Busto is a freelance writer for Miami New Times. She nurtured her love of words at Boston College before moving back home to Miami and has been covering arts and culture in the Magic City since 2013.

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