With fires and smoke popping up across Southwest Florida, sometimes forcing the closure of major roadways like I-75…the Florida Highway patrol is reminding drivers of a free service to help them have a faster and safer drive home.

Though 5-1-1 is not a new service, state officials are pushing it a little harder now considering the fire and smoke problems across the state. The Florida Department of Transportation says calling 5-1-1 provides commuters with up to the minute traffic information. Spokeswoman Vicky Mixon says folks living in Southwest Florida also have the regional website if they want updates.

“We have the southwest florida 511 dot com website…available to residents and travelers in the Lee, Collier, and Charlotte area, to give them up to the minute information about major evacuations or road closures due to limited visibility.”

Mixon adds the number of calls coming in due to the smoke and fires is way up in recent weeks. During last years wildfires calls to 5-1-1 were up almost 50-percent.