Voluntary evacuations underway for brush fire near Oviedo

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A brush fire was still raging near homes in a part of Seminole County on Monday night.

Crews issued a voluntary evacuation for several homes when flames began to inch near properties on Genova Drive Monday afternoon.

The Florida Forest Service said crews managed to isolate the flames to a swampy area farther away from the homes, but some residents weren’t taking any chances.

“I was crying and I put things together to take with us, and my sister showed up,” said resident Melanie Logue. “I saw lots of smoke just bellowing up. It was scary.”

Skywitness 9 was over the blanket of smoke as choppers dropped buckets of water onto the blaze to prevent it from damaging homes.

Firefighters had been fighting the blaze since 11 a.m.

Quinton Rywalt lives near Lougue and is among the residents who are under a voluntary evacuation, which he said has never happened before for a fire, at least in the last eight years.

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“We got all of our expensive belongings packed up and family stuff,” said Rywalt.

Firefighters were in the back of the neighborhood, which is about a quarter-mile away from flames that burned through more than 60 acres.

“Honestly, I’m feeling like I don’t know what to expect,” said Rywalt.

A shelter was available for residents.

Cox Media Group