Firefighters worked to protect homes from a brush fire in Port Orange Tuesday afternoon.

The fire burned in a residential section of the city near Ward Lake Drive, just north of the Spruce Creek Community.

Firefighters closed the neighborhood as smoke filled the streets, but no one was forced to evacuate.

The fire burned right up to the back yards of some homes.

"Luckily the wind is blowing away from my house. That's good for me, but my friend George, I hear the fire got within feet of his house just along the wood line back there," said resident Ann Saviuk.

Homeowners gathered to watch firefighter work, while others hosed down their houses, just in case.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames but are still on hand watching for hotspots.