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County line brush fire in Martin, St. Lucie County forces some homeowners to evacuate

Posted at 12:01 AM, Mar 24, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-24 00:01:13-04

A 15-acre brush fire on the Martin, St. Lucie County line was fully contained by 5:30 p.m. Friday.

The fire sparked close to homes and just north of the Treasure Coast Mall.

It wraps up a busy week for firefighters and the Florida Forest Service, responding to multiple large brush fires.

The cause of the fire on the county line is still under investigation.

Port St. Lucie Police say they knocked on several doors near the fire warning residents the flames could get close.

The Florida Forest Service says four homes were evacuated, but voluntarily according to police.

Florida Power and Light crews worked into the night repairing several wooden power poles and damaged wires.

“Very hard job they’re doing with the heat,” said nearby resident Mary Aberle. She lives on Van Kleff Avenue, where much of the fire fight took place.

She spent the afternoon watching the efforts to keep homes and nearby businesses safe.
 
“A million trucks, brush trucks, there was a lot of noise,” Aberle said.

She was among the homeowners who made a decision to leave their home until the conditions were safer.

“I wasn’t concerned until it went across the street, and then I said I’m getting out,” Aberle said.

She snapped a picture of the flames just 20 feet or so from her home.

“I grabbed everything out of my safe, my iPad and my pocket book and my cat.

Other nearby homeowners had to wait to get back home, parking their cars along the perimeter made by police and fire crews.

“All the fire and everything was going on and we couldn’t get in,” said William Ferguson.

He returned to his car around 6 p.m. to go back home.

It’s the cost of living near private, wooded areas. Dry, windy conditions made the brush fires spark easily and spread quickly.