WEEKI WACHEE, Fla. - Two homes were destroyed and one was damaged in a 110-acre brush fire that is considered suspicious.
"As a result of observations by HCFR crews who responded, the fire is deemed suspicious in origin," Hernando County Fire Rescue said.
The fire was 100 percent contained as of 10 p.m., Hernando County Fire Rescue said.
The fire which the Florida Forest Service called the Kingbird Wildfire started around 2:30 p.m. Friday.
Neighbors in the Royal Highlands neighborhood told 10 News they called 911 after smelling smoke and seeing ash flying around their houses.
The two people living in a home the fire destroyed made it out safely. We’re told they tried to put out the flames on their own using a garden hose and water from a neighbor’s pool but it wasn’t enough.
By the time crews arrived two other homes were damaged.
Neighbor Jan Summers cried as she told us she didn’t know if she’d make it out alive.
“The whole back of our house was on fire,” she said. A van she and her husband use for a family business burned in the fire.
Summer said she tried to grab all of her medicine and some of her valuables. “I grabbed my dog and bird. I put them in the car and get it running so the air conditioning would help them out.”
Thankfully crews were able to keep the fire from getting to her home just in time.
“God was on our side. It was scary. I hugged a tree and prayed. God was with us.”
She is very thankful for Hernando County Fire Rescue and crews with Florida Forest Service who worked to put out the flames.
Officials are still investigating to determine the cause of the fire.
While the fire is contained, crews will remain in the area throughout the night to make sure hot spots don’t spread.
Hernando County Fire Rescue PIO Alex Lopez told residents to adhere to local burn laws. We’re told it hasn’t rained in this area for almost three weeks.
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