Firefighters in Charlotte County are working a wildfire bordering on neighborhoods in Englewood and Grove City.
As of 6 p.m. Thursday, neighbors on the eastern side of the town watched as the flames from earlier in the afternoon had downgraded to a smoky sky during what should be the 'golden hour' before sunset.
Florida Forest Service reports a brushfire broke out near San Casa Drive in Englewood. The agency also says three more brush fires broke out in the area, including one south of Lemon Bay High School.
Two more are along Placida Road and Hunt Street and along South McCall Road.
"I looked up and it sounded like crackling and I looked up and said, 'oh my God, it’s a fire'," said Betty Conaty of Englewood.
Another neighbor was startled by the action on his property.
“Everyone was running past my house to the tree line," said Paul Capalbo. "A bunch of us guys got some hoses and we just wanted to get things wet, so if it got too close. We just got all of our last repairs done from Hurricane Ian at our place.”
