BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A brush fire along Interstate 95 that grew to 150 acres and threatened structures in south Brevard County is under control.
Late Friday night, fire officials said the fire was 95 percent contained.
The first call reporting the fire came around 4:30 p.m. Friday from a driver on I-95 who saw smoke near the 168 mile marker, according to fire officials.
Firefighters tried to douse the flames along the interstate, but winds pushed it away from the southbound side of the road and into a wooded and grassy area.
Raw: Skywitness 9 HD video of brush fire
Slideshow: Brevard County brush fire
"It just looked shocking. I've never seen anything like this before. I've never been so close to a fire before," said Reggie Gordon, who lives near the area where the fire was burning.
John Becker lives on Grant Road. He said the fire came within 200 feet of his home.
"I went and fetched my dog and walked the property. It was getting kind of warm, so we left," Becker said.
One southbound lane of I-95 was closed for emergency vehicles as firefighters battled the blaze.
Some structures at the Hog Wild Paintball Club caught fire around 5:45 p.m. and firefighters were gathered nearby to keep flames from reaching a residence.
The fire came within 20 feet of one home, a firefighter said.
Neyla Rodriguez said her firefighter husband was called to help.
"It's kind of nerve-wracking," she said.
Several fire agencies worked to contain the blaze. Forestry workers plowed lines around the fire.
Firefighters closed Babcock Street in Palm Bay from Whynot Drive to Grant Road while the fire burned in the area.
Christie Slayton said she lives close to one of the fire lines and was grateful that she and her five horses were safe.
She said there was an upside to the forestry workers plowing through some trees on her property.
"Actually, some trees I was going to have to pay to knock down I don't have to pay for now," she said.
Firefighters said helicopters that the county has access to were being serviced and weren't available to drop water on the fire, though they said that not having the helicopters didn't hamper their firefighting efforts.
Firefighters plan to remain in the area overnight to ensure the fire remains inside the fire lines and will work to extinguish it after sunrise Saturday.