Sarasota County brush fire contained after homes evacuated in Stoneybrook at Venice neighborhood: SCFD
Homes evacuated due to brush fire
Firefighters battled a brush fire in Sarasota County that has grew to 41 acres and prompted the evacuation of 10 nearby homes in the Stoneybrook at Venice neighborhood, according to Sarasota County Fire Department officials. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.
VENICE, Fla. - Firefighters battled a brush fire in Sarasota County that has grew to 24 acres and prompted the evacuation of 10 nearby homes in the Stoneybrook at Venice neighborhood, according to Sarasota County Fire Department officials.
Brush fire near Venice
The backstory:
The Sarasota County Fire Department responded to a brush fire in the 12000 block of Tempest Harbor Loop on Friday.
Officials said the call came in shortly before 11:30 a.m., and firefighters began dousing the flames around 11:34 a.m.
The Florida Forest Service is also assisting with the response.
Current fire conditions
What we know:
As of 4:02 p.m., the fire had burned approximately 24 acres and was 100% contained.
Courtesy: Hardy Custodio
An FFS helicopter was on scene preparing aerial water drops to slow the fire's spread and help crews contain the blaze.
Evacuations ordered
Dig deeper:
Officials said 10 homes have been evacuated as a precaution due to the fire.
At this time, no injuries have been reported and no one has been transported for medical treatment, according to SCFD.
Officials also said there have been no reports of damage to any homes or structures.
Neighbors react
What they're saying:
Neighbors described the terrifying sight of watching flames shift rapidly near their home.
Jonah Albers was riding his bicycle to work on Friday when he spotted the massive columns of fire flying high in the sky.
"I was scared that it was going to jump to a house or change directions," Albers said. "You know how the wind is, you can't predict the weather and fire lives on wind."
The tight coordination between the ground crews and the pilots made a lasting impression on Albers.
"They hit every angle; it was so intricate," Albers said. "It was like they were cutting it off from other areas."
Other residents, including Regina Fadoul, expressed sheer shock at how close the fire came towards burning backyards.
"You never think it's going to happen to you so close to home," Fadoul said. "There it was, right almost in our backyard."
Relief swept through the neighborhood as crews brought the blaze under control without any loss of life or property.
"It's amazing that no house got hurt and no people got hurt," Fadoul said. "The fireman jumped in and it really feels like a blessing."
Cause under investigation
What we don't know:
The cause of the fire has not yet been released.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Sarasota County Fire Department.