CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. — According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, there was a brush fire on the street of Allensworth that was reportedly 42 acres, and now 100 percent contained along with minor home damages.
Brayden Vaughn first saw the smoke on San Domingo Boulevard as he was coming home from school. That's when he called his mom who told him that the main roads were blocked.
“She said you can’t get through," he says.
But that didn't stop him from finding a way back to help his family leave the area safely.
“I helped get everyone out the house, helped get the pets. The pictures and all that stuff - and then I just helped out wherever I could, whether it was a garden house or shovel, just anything that I could," he said.
Charlotte County Fire was assisted by fire crews from Englewood, Sarasota, and Lee County in fighting the flames.
The Florida Division of Forestry bringing in bulldozers to clear debris while helicopters dropped water from overhead.
And just like a fire that destroyed eight condo units in Punta Gorda on Wednesday, weather played a big factor - with strong winds making it more difficult for firefighters to keep the fire contained.
“Anytime you get a fire and it’s dry conditions like this with these gusts - I don’t know what the miles per hour is, but it makes it hard,” says Todd Dunn, Public Information Officer for Charlotte County Fire.
The brush fire reportedly damaged one home, a lost shed, a cracked window, damage to the pool cage, and 2 homes' vinyl fences melted.
According to CCSO evacuations were necessary.
More updates will be released as soon as they come in.
