VERO BEACH, Fla. — A brush fire that ignited Saturday afternoon came dangerously close to homes in the Enclave community off 65th Street in Vero Beach.
The fire left several residents in shock and on edge. "It’s terrifying,” said Louise Wisely, a resident of the neighborhood. "When everything you have is in your home, it’s terrifying."
Wisely described the tense moments as the fire raged just down the road from her home.
"Big fire, red in the sky, and then all this black smoke that was devastating—it actually darkened the whole sky," she said.
WATCH: Sunday morning update on Vero Beach brush fire, now 100% contained
The fire is 100% contained as of Sunday morning, but local residents still have concerns about how quickly the fire started. Matt Tanner, another resident of Enclave, was left fearing for his family’s safety. His home stood just feet from the blaze.
It was raging right up to our fence line," Tanner said. "You could feel heat, embers—hot embers were flying all over the place. Really, it was just let’s protect—find whatever we can do to protect the house. I’ve got two small children and my wife."
Battalion Chief Will Willmot of Indian River Fire Rescue (IRCFR) described the conditions.
"Before I knew it, the winds just picked up and it ran to the West and started coming close here to the Enclave Subdivision." Willmot said.
Fire officials said ten homes were evacuated, but ultimately, no homes were damaged.
In a Sunday morning update WPTV received from IRCFR, smoke is still heavy and strong near the Enclave community. Four trucks will be in the area to monitor the hot spots within the burn area.
FIre officials hope the close call serves as a reminder for residents to clear debris around their home, especially this time of year.
"We’re not getting any rain the winds have been high, vegetation has dried out really, really, quick this year, so everybody is on high alert, so just be careful," said Willmot.
After the fire, residents like Tanner and Wisely were left feeling grateful for the heroic efforts of local fire crews.
"Kudos to the heroes from the Indian River County fire department," Tanner said. "They were phenomenal in how they responded.”
Wisely echoed his sentiment. "We couldn’t be more blessed because if they weren’t here, we wouldn’t have a home right now. It went that quickly."
The swift actions of firefighters saved lives and homes, but as the dry conditions persist, residents remain vigilant, knowing how quickly disaster can strike.
