MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. -- Some Martin County residents watched firefighter battle flare ups from brush fires near their homes Thursday for the second time in less than 24 hours.
In the Manatee Cove neighborhood near U.S 1 and Cove Rd., firefighters spent at least five hours putting out hot spots and drenching a dry, wooded area.
It was the same area where a larger brush fire sparked Wednesday, leading some nearby residents to evacuate.
“It’s frightening, really,” said nearby resident Agnes Dumcombe.
She evacuated her home after her nephew urged her to do so, grabbing only important papers to take with her.
“He said you’ve gotta get out of there because there’s fire in the back. I said, well no that was yesterday and my nephew said no, it’s there now so they got me out of there,” Duncombe said.
She returned home Thursday only to find fire fighters back on her street controlling smoke and smaller flare ups.
“I just hope we get some rain,” Duncombe said.
Firefighters dumped tens of thousands of gallons of water on that wooded area Thursday, hoping to prevent any fire risks into the night.
When some residents evacuated Wednesday, others stayed to protect their properties.
Peter Hills says he and some of his neighbors grabbed long hoses to spray embers floating from the fire toward their homes.
“The fire was totally out of control. The wind was pushing it fast and it went all the way around us,” Hills said.
For Hills, it was also a learning experience. He knows he may need to jump into action in the future as the dry conditions continue.
He’s keeping his hoses extended and spread around his home so he can grab them quickly to protect his property.
