HUDSON, Fla. -- Firefighters are calling Monday night's brush fire just off U.S. 19 "the worst" they've ever fought.
"It looked like it was raining fire from the embers," said Andy Fossa, training chief for Pasco Fire Rescue. "I've been on this job 22 years, and this was the most aggressive brush fire I've ever fought."
Investigators now believe an unattended campfire started the 117-acre fire in Hudson that closed U.S. 19 and forced the evacuation of 200 people, Fire Chief Anthony Lopinto said.
Officials initially suspected arson and offered a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. "We know it was man-made because there was no lightning in the area," said Don Ruths, spokesman for the Florida Forest Service. "There was a similar fire in the area two weeks ago that was caused by arson. It was a mile and half from here."
The fire, which started Monday on a golf course, quickly spread through some woods to the east, aided by wind gusts of up to 30 mph. It threatened several homes at the Club Wildwood Mobile Home Park, but no buildings were damaged and no one was injured.
"The crews did an outstanding job," Fossa said.
Firefighters and emergency personnel from eight agencies worked through the night, and by Tuesday had the fire 50 percent contained. Ruths said the agency used six plows to carve out a fire line around the perimeter of the area. Teams worked with Pasco firefighters throughout the day Tuesday on mop-up duty -- putting out hot spots and doing controlled burns near the highway.
Some flames jumped the fence Monday night and scorched some building materials at Bradco Supply, a roofing supply company on U.S. 19. The densely wooded area just north of Bradco flared up again Tuesday, and crews returned to the business shortly before noon as the fire came within inches of the property.
U.S. 19 was closed between New York Avenue and Hudson Avenue for several hours overnight but was reopened Tuesday morning. Officials were planning to close the road again between 2 and 4 a.m. because they anticipate a build up of fog in the area as the air cooled.
All Pasco County schools remained open Tuesday, but principals at five schools were told to keep students indoors, which meant any outdoor physical education plans were cancelled. Those five schools were Hudson Elementary, Hudson High, Hudson Middle, Northwest Elementary and Gulf Highlands Elementary.
Superintendent Heather Fiorentino also said that, because of communication from the sheriff's office, the district was able to get word about the U.S. 19 closure to bus drivers early Tuesday morning, allowing them to plan alternate routes for school buses.
Around 100 people spent Monday night at a Red Cross shelter at St. Mark's Presbyterian Church in Hudson, according to the Florida Forest Service.
The fire danger remains high as much of Florida is in a state of moderate to severe drought, Ruths said. There is about 25 years of undergrowth in the area, and the Forest Service had suspected the acreage would become a problem.
"What we really need is three days of tropical rain to really drench the area," Ruths said. "The word is caution to anyone who is out using fire."
Lopinto will ask county commissioners to approve an emergency burn ban at their May 8 meeting. Chairwoman Ann Hildebrand said she expects the board will approve the ban.
"It's dry up there," she said.
Copyright 2012 - Tampa Tribune, Fla.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
