Florida Activity-2003

[NJFFSA16]

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - At least eight fire departments were
fighting a wildfire that caused the evacuation of two businesses,
knocked out power and forced a road closure Friday in the Florida
Panhandle.
The cause and scope of the blaze, which began about 3 p.m. CDT
southwest of Pensacola, were not immediately known, said Janice
Kilgore, director of public safety for Escambia County.
The state Division of Forestry was sending an airplane from
Tallahassee to help determine the extent of the fire, Kilgore said.
"Thankfully, right now where it is, it's not extremely
populated," she said.
Authorities, however, were worried the fire might cross Sorrento
Road, which was partly closed west of Pensacola Naval Air Station,
and threaten residential areas, Kilgore said. There was no
immediate threat, she said.
The fire damaged a Gulf Power Co. transmission line and about
8,200 homes and businesses were temporarily without power.
A wildfire Thursday burned 350 acres about 10 miles from
Friday's blaze in Lillian, Ala. Several Florida fire departments
cross the state line to help put it out.
Another Panhandle blaze Wednesday burned 100 acres west of
Panama City in Bay County, nearly 100 miles east of Pensacola. It
forced the temporary closure of State Road 79 and briefly
threatened one home, but was extinguished after two hours.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[NJFFSA16]

MELBOURNE, Fla. (AP) - A fast-moving brush fire burned more than
40 acres and threatened homes Tuesday.
The blaze began about 2:04 p.m. and moved to the back fence line
of several homes in the Summer Brook subdivision, said Melbourne
Fire Department spokesman Dan Porsi. Also, parts of Wickham Road, a
major thoroughfare in Melbourne, were closed due to smoke and
flames.
"At this point, we haven't considered evacuating any homes,"
Porsi said. "All the residents are being watchful."
Resident Darryl Seike feared burning embers falling on his roof
would set his house on fire, so he spent the afternoon on the
rooftop.
"When it came up to about thirty meters inside the treeline, it
was pretty hot because there was a wall of fire a good 70, 80 feet
high, easy," Seike said.
The Melbourne Fire Department is being assisted in battling the
blaze by Brevard County Fire-Rescue and the Florida Division of
Forestry, Porsi said.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Late Additional Info

Two teenagers were arrested on Tuesday (6-17) for starting a fire in a Melbourne
subdivision that came dangerously close to homes.

Officials say flames shot sixty feet in the air as residents of the Summer Brook
subdivision rushed to save their homes.

Fire officials responded to the scene to fight the blaze that spread to 35
acres. Officials evacuated several homes and closed down the main road for two
hours when the fire was at its worst.

Police arrested fifteen year old Travis Mills and Gordon Ward for setting the
blaze. They are being held in a juvenile detention facility charged with arson.

Fortunately no one was injured and no homes were lost.

[NJFFSA16]

MELBOURNE, Fla. (AP) - Two 15-year-old boys were charged with
starting a brush fire that spread quickly, burned 35 acres and
threatened several homes here.
Travis Preston Mills and Gordon Phillip Ward III were arrested
Tuesday night and charged with arson, said Cmdr. Ron Bell, a
spokesman for the Melbourne Police Department. The teens were taken
to the Juvenile Detention Center in nearby Sharpes.
Mills and Ward were in the woods smoking cigars Tuesday when
they took a lighter and started the fire in a pine-needle packed
pizza box they found, Bell said.
No one was injured in the blaze, which began about 2 p.m. and
moved to the back fence line of several homes in the Summer Brook
subdivision.
"Obviously this had the potential of spreading worse than what
it did," Bell said. "It was irresponsible, and they should have
known better."
No homes were evacuated, even though the blaze was fueled by a
strong easterly breeze. Parts of Wickham Road, a major thoroughfare
in Melbourne, were closed due to smoke and flames. And many
residents fended off the fire with garden hoses or sprinklers until
firefighters got it under control.
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Information from: Florida Today, http://www.floridatoday.com

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)