BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Brevard County Fire Rescue and Florida Forest Service battled flames that tore through 70 acres in Mims, according to Brevard County Fire Chief Patrick Voltaire. By 9 p.m., Florida Forest Service reported the fire was 100 percent contained.
The fire off Blounts Ridge Road and Rose Marie Place was originally called in at 2 p.m.
Fire Chief Voltaire said his crews told three homes to evacuate. No homes were harmed; however, a county spokesperson said two sheds were destroyed.
At one point, the flames came within just 10 feet of a home, melting the tail light of this SUV parked outside.
Thursday, Florida Forest Service used their chopper to continuously drop gallons of water over the fires.
“That’s truly what saved the home to the west of here that we evacuated,” Voltaire said.
Voltaire says his crews’ jobs were made even more difficult by the extreme drought conditions.
“With the freezes, then back to warm, and then back the freezing, and then back warm really creates a crunchy type foliage, the fuel. So the fuel of the fires is just ready and prime to run and run fast,” Voltaire said.
Chief Voltaire says crews are monitoring for any chance of pop up fires in that area Thursday night into Friday.
State Fire Marshals are investigating the cause of the fire.
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