PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — A brushfire broke out Sunday afternoon in a wooded area just feet from homes and the Alton Town Center shopping center on Donald Ross Road in Palm Beach Gardens.
Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue spent much of the afternoon responding to the blaze, which drew up to 14 units from multiple agencies, including Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service.
WATCH BELOW: Brushfire breaks out near Alton Town Center
Fire trucks, tankers, and dozers responded to the scene, with crews also fighting the flames with a hose overhead.
Renato Ortega, a resident, said the fire caught him off guard.
"I've lived here pretty much 25 plus years, never seen a brush fire and randomly out of nowhere it pops up, so I was just like this is odd," Ortega said.
He said the fire's location was especially concerning given its proximity to nearby homes.
"I mean, there are houses right there, so I don't know how this just pops up like this," Ortega said.
Bystander John Contreras described the scene at its peak.
"All of this was fogged out, smoke was sky high," Contreras said.
Paul, another bystander, said the response was swift.
"There was a lot of smoke. I did see some flames, but the firemen were here very fast, so they took care of it, it looks like pretty quick," he explained.
The city of Palm Beach Gardens said the fire did not exceed 2 acres and was contained using fire lines. No buildings or homes were impacted by the blaze, and there were no evacuations.
Many in the area were left wondering what caused the fire to break out.
"I'm actually very surprised that it popped up so fast," Paul said.
"There's brush, but it's like it's very controlled, and I know it's been dry, but we've gotten rain recently," added Ortega.
Officials said windy conditions played a role in spreading the fire.
Crews were addressing hotspots at the site Sunday evening and planned to continue monitoring the fire for flare-ups throughout the night.
Contreras said the experience was unsettling, but he was impressed by the response.
"It's a little scary, but they were here efficiently, effectively, and they got the job done," Contreras said.
Residents should expect the smell of smoke to linger as the fire continues to smolder.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalists to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
