Broken trees and debris from recent hurricane seasons are hindering firefighters' efforts to extinguish a 1,200-acre fire that has already destroyed three homes and forced about 1,000 people from their homes, according to a Volusia County official.

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IMAGES: Volusia Fire Images
MAP: Map Of Fires

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The fire slowed Monday but had the potential to grow in Monday afternoon, depending on the wind.

"Currently, we are at a staging or a slowing down period for the fire activity," New Smyrna Beach Dep. Chief Dave McCallister said at a Monday news conference. "For the rest of the afternoon, we expect it will get more active. We don't know what to expect this afternoon, so we are approaching it very cautiously."

In addition to the dry, hot weather, another thing working against firefighters is fallen trees from hurricane seasons in the past few years, Local 6 reporter Jessica Sanchez said.

"The number of snags or broke trees from this last year's hurricane season activity is almost insurmountable so we can't get apparatus through the woods as we typically would," McCallister said. "We have to wait for Division of Forestry to go in ahead of us creating fire lines."

Officials with the Division of Forestry said there was a perimeter around the blaze Monday.

"If the weather works with us, we should be able to maintain it," McCallister said. "If we get a strong wind or changes we don't anticipate in the wind or weather, it could work against us as well."

154 Firefighters Involved

Officials said about 154 firefighters were at the scene Monday trying to keep the flames contained.

"Right now, the fire is not fully under control," New Smyrna Beach city official Shannon Lewis said during a Monday morning news conference. "We do have some lines cut as the city manager indicated and we will continue to monitor those during the day as conditions change."

Power remained off in the Sugar Mill Estates area as the New Smyrna Beach Utilities Commission worked to replace damaged power lines.

Lewis said firefighters are watching the wind conditions Monday.

"Winds are projected to come out of the southwest this morning, so we are going to be setting up most of personnel in the northeastern quadrant," New Smyrna Beach city official Frank Roberts said. "The wind is scheduled to turn out of the east as the day goes on and pick up in terms of its wind speed. At that time, we will move the point of attack to the area that is just west of where the EOC is to keep that fire from spreading into the timber."

"The fire did lay down last evening as expected due to the humidity," Lewis said.

A reporter asked when evacuated residents would be allowed back into their homes.

"When can evacuees go home is a pressing question," Lewis said. "We want to get them home as soon as we can. We still have power out to that area and we do have crews in the area actively fighting the fire. So, at the very earliest, this afternoon but I cannot give you a specific time right now."

It was announced that there was no immediate plans to extend the evacuation zones Monday.

It was also confirmed that three homes were destroyed by fire Sunday night and one New Smyrna Beach firefighter suffered minor injuries.

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MAP: Map Of Road Closures

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"I-95 remains closed northbound from 442 in Edgewater to 421 in Port Orange," Lewis said. "Southbound I-95 is closed from 421 in Port Orange to state Road 44 in New Smyrna Beach. State Road 44 remains closed from I-95 to 415. Additionally, we have closures on Sugar Mills Drive from state Road 44 to Pioneer Trail and on Pioneer Trail from Turnbull Bay Road to Sugar Mills Road."

Roberts said firefighters were able to establish a cut completely around the fire Monday.

"At this point, the fire is still down, the cut is in place and our personnel are moving into position," Roberts said.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.