BOYDS, Md. — A brush fire has been contained hours after sparking in Boyds Wednesday afternoon.
According to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Spokesman Pete Piringer, the large bush fire was reported in the 22,900 block of Old Hundred Road near Comus Road shortly after 4 p.m. It burned approximately 60 acres and damaged one structure and some fencing.
Vincent Roa says he was flooded with calls warning him that the fire was approaching his home.
"I was an hour away at our farm in Olney and a million things are running through my mind," Roa told WUSA9.
Roa called his friend Ben White who responded to the scene as Mrs. Roa and her two girls were leaving.
"When I rolled up, I couldn't see the houses the smoke was so bad. So I jumped in a skid, run out and helped where I can," White said.
Piringer says the brush fire was believed to have been started by a downed power line and that it spread quickly. Dozens of crews from Montgomery County and Frederick County worked on extinguishing the blaze.
As of 4:43 p.m., the fire began encroaching on houses in the area, causing multiple homes to be evacuated, according to Piringer.
Neighbors say it was a community effort to help rescue the animals from the approaching fire.
Rebecca Champi says her husband got the Roa's German Shepard, Hardy, out of the home.
"He called them to get the code to the door, and brought their dog over here," Champi said.
Champi says other neighbors helped get her horses to a safer area away from the flames.
Roa, a former firefighter, assisted fire crews. He says that when it comes to protecting your own home, the situation hits differently.
"The dog was here. I've lost a house as a kid to a fire so it's not my first rodeo with this," Roa added.
The Roa's fence and shed were damaged in the blaze that was extinguished at around 8 pm. after burning for an estimated four hours.
The Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center experienced a 'Condition Red' status due to the heavy amount of people calling.
A Red Flag Warning was issued Wednesday due to potentially dangerous fire conditions.
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