Pensacola wildfire: Fire 50+ acres, 50% contained, 16 homes damaged
Update: 10:40 a.m., Friday:
Wildland firefighters from the Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center are working to strengthen lines around the Somerville Court Fire in west Pensacola. While one home was heavily damaged and 15 more sustained varying degrees of damage, Florida Forest Service and Escambia Fire Rescue firefighters saved 200 more as the fire threatened several neighborhoods late Thursday afternoon, a release from the Forest Service said.
Crews have a line around the perimeter of the blaze and it remains 50% contained while five tractor-plow units work to bolster lines this morning. The fire is estimated at 50 acres but FFS personnel are working to map the edges and provide a more accurate measurement. The cause is unknown and under investigation.
Update: 9:30 p.m., Thursday:
Officials from the Florida Forest Service said the wildfire is just over 50 acres and about 30% contained.
About 200 structures have been threatened by the fire. One structure suffered significant damage and multiple homes experienced damage of some kind, but no injuries have been reported, according to David Smith, operations administrator for the Blackwater Forestry Center.
County personnel estimated 20 homes had sustained some form of damage.
Weller Avenue was reopened late Thursday, and Smith said nine tractors, two helicopters and one fixed-wing plane were on scene.
"Fire's looking very good at this point in time," Smith said in a 7:15 p.m. news conference. "We're continuing to reinforce lines and improve that containment."
Davis Wood, a spokesman for the county's Public Safety Department, said units from the Navy, Pensacola and Gulf Beach fire departments assisted Escambia County Fire Rescue and Forest Service. He said the evacuation initiated as a safety precaution because was Weller Avenue was the one way in and out for the neighborhood.
Wood said he estimated about five people took shelter at Liberty Church and animal rescued secured seven household pets.
Resident of Weatherstone Circle AleHondrea' Whatkins said she was showering in her home when her 8-year-old daughter told her they had to leave.
"We go and look out the back bedroom and there's flames, literally like if I were to jump out the window the flames were right there," Whatkins told the News Journal. "It was crazy."
As crazy as Whatkins said this was, she says this is the second time something like this has happened to her, recalling the 2018 fire near Jones Swamp.
"It's all over again," she said. Literally like deja vu."
Original story:
The Florida Forest Service is battling a significant wildfire in the vicinity of Gulf Beach Highway and Weller Avenue.
The fire is estimated at upward of 50 acres and is threatening homes in the vicinity. Homes in the area of Mary Fleming Drive, English Meadows Drive and Ledbetter Lane are being evacuated. At this point there are no reported injuries, but county officials have advised the fire is spreading quickly and moving east.
Liberty Church on 2221 S. Blue Angel Parkway, has been set up as a shelter for any residents affected by the fire. Escambia County Area Transit is running two busses to help with evacuations and Animal Services is there to help evacuate pets and animals.
Joe Zwierzchowski, a spokesman for the Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center, said the fire is expected to be "a pretty significant one," and that officials from Escambia County and the Forest Service were moving quickly to try to contain the fire and protect residents.
"We have multiple bulldozers on scene, one helicopter overhead with a second one en route," Zwierzchowski said. " ... (Drivers) need to be mindful of the emergency crews working in that area, Gulf Beach Highway is going to see significant smoke."
The Escambia County Sheriff's Office temporarily closed sections off Gulf Beach Highway and Dog Track Road but they were reopened after approximately an hour.