Brush Fires Burn More Than 1,500 Acres In Central Florida

The Associated Press

Published: May 3, 2007

ORMOND BEACH - Firefighters worked Wednesday to extinguish several blazes that had consumed more than 1,500 acres in Volusia, Flagler and Lake counties, forcing several homes to be evacuated.

About 1,000 acres of brush and swampland were burning in Ormond Beach near the Flagler-Volusia county line. Officials expected it to grow before being contained.

Several homes in the area were evacuated, but no damage had been reported.

"The fire is not contained and continues to burn in an area that is very difficult to reach and operate," said Timber Weller of the Florida Division of Forestry.

The blaze was spotted Tuesday afternoon about four miles west of Interstate 95. The cause of the fire had not been determined.

More than 550 acres had burned in a separate blaze in northeast Lake County.

"We're not calling it 100 percent controlled because there's still a chance the wind could have it jump the lines again," Lake County Fire Rescue Chief Jack Fillman said Wednesday.

Fillman said no homes had been evacuated but that some residents were told they should leave the area to avoid heavy smoke.