FROSTPROOF, Fla. — A wildfire has burned 15 acres near a jail just off U.S. Highway 98 in Frostproof.
Several agencies are on the scene trying to get the fire under control. The Florida Forest Service and Polk County Fire Rescue are setting up lines to keep the fire from spreading.
Crews say the flames have hit a wet spot and are burning much slower. No evacuations have been ordered for the jail and the Florida Forest Service says no buildings are threatened.
Forest Service and Fire Rescue crews in Polk County have been busy over the last 24 hours. Just 13 miles away, they've been battling three large brush fires near River Ranch and Indian Lake Estates.
Those fires have burned through 4,500 acres in the River Ranch area, according to Todd Chlanda with Florida Forest Service. While recent rain helped, he says crews aren't in the clear yet.
"While that is a temporary fix, tomorrow, the sun's going to come out, the wind's going to be blowing," Chlanda said at the scene. "And we're going to be right back to dry conditions because right now the vegetation is going to soak up whatever moisture it can."
While the fire has mostly burned through vegetation, some buildings and camps in the area have been damaged. Gate access to the campsites will remain closed for now, according to Chlanda.
"We are urging people just to be very careful and cautious doing any outdoor activity that has anything to do with open flame, heat, grinding, anything that will cause sparks or have an open flame," Chlanda said.