Firefighters contain Merritt Island brush fire that threatened homes

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Firefighters from four agencies converged on Merritt Island Wednesday afternoon to fight a fast-moving brush fire.

Seven homes were threatened by flames until firefighters were able to contain them.

The battle to save the homes brought firefighters into backyards off of Broad Acres Street.

"It was like 20 to 30 feet high, the flames. So it was getting up there," said homeowner Carl Ray.
 
Fortunately for Ray, he recently cleared the brush near his property.

"Hopefully it doesn't get any worse than this," said Ray.

Firefighters cut a fire line about 50 feet from Fred O'Donnell's front porch.

"I saw the fire blazing over here on the side. I went over there and I was pouring water. It keeps moving around with the wind shift," O'Donnell told WFTV's Melonie Holt, as the fire burned near his home.

The wind fanned the flames.

Brevard Fire Rescue, the Cape Canaveral Fire Department, the Merritt Island Volunteer Fire Department and the Florida Forest Service worked to contain the brush fire.  They managed to hold it at 15 acres. Property damage was limited to a fence.

The Florida Forest Service is still trying to determine what sparked the fire.

WFTV