Weekend brush fire in Sebring serves as reminder to growing wildfire risk
SEBRING, Fla. - Crews are still working to mop up and put out hot spots after a brush fire in Sebring Sunday afternoon. Around 20 nearby homes were evacuated after the flames got dangerously close.
It's another reminder that this is the time of year brush fires are expected to spark, which has everyone on high alert.
Chris Montenero, who lives in the Sun 'N Lake community in Sebring, found himself rushing home from work after his wife texted him about the fire.
RELATED: Sebring residents evacuated, road closed due to fire: Deputies
"I was painting, and I packed everything up, and I said ‘I’m coming home,’" he said.
His concern grew as he got closer to his home on Granada Boulevard. He could see the black sky as he was about halfway there.
"They had my family in the car ready to go, so it was me get out of the car, jump in and get out," he said.
Bonnie Kelley, another resident who lives next to Montenero, was also evacuated by first responders. She told FOX 13 that she was in "panic mode" as she saw the flames getting closer to her backyard.
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Kelley and her family grabbed what they could and got out.
"I was screaming and crying leaving in my car, I didn’t even know what way was coming or going," she said.
Okeechobee district crews with the Florida Forest Service used bulldozers to put lines behind homes to cut off the fire. While they did that, Sebring and Highlands County firefighters worked to protect nearby homes from the brush fire.
"Dry conditions, little bit of wind behind it, wind drive fire, and it ran toward the homes we see behind us," said Josh Watkins, the forest area supervisor for the Florida Forest Service's Okeechobee district.
Fire crews also battled a brush fire in Mulberry that burned 475 acres on private property. State officials said dry conditions this year will increase the chances for wildfires.
MORE: Florida Forestry Service adds drones to help with controlled burns ahead of wildfire season
State officials said this past rainy winter allowed them to conduct prescribed burns to reduce kindling that feeds the wildfires. But, it was to prepare for drier conditions this year, which will only increase the chance of wildfires.
"I like to say one day without rain in Florida it’s all ready to burn again. Now, we are to that time of year, it’s getting dry," said Watkins.
Neighbors along Granada Boulevard said they are thankful for the crews that helped keep the fire from reaching their homes.
"I can’t say how much I appreciate what they did for me and my family," said Montenero.
"The firefighters, the EMT's, everyone who worked out here, we give our heart and soul to them, because they saved so many of our homes that could have been gone in a second," Kelley said.
The cause of the fire is still unknown and under investigation.
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