Brush fire burns near trailer park in Pembroke Pines

About 600 acres burn in fire

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A brush fire is burning Wednesday in Pembroke Pines, authorities said.

Pembroke Pines Fire Department spokesman Ruben Troncoso said the fire is burning next to the Heritage City mobile home park at 600 NW 219th Ave., just west of U.S. 27 and Pines Boulevard.

Troncoso said forestry officials are leading the effort to extinguish the flames, while being assisted by Pembroke Pines firefighters.

Troncoso said the fire was reported about 5 p.m.

By 9 p.m. about 600 acres had burned, the fire was 20 percent contained. 

The fire threatened mobile homes in the Holly Lakes neighborhood. Residents said they watched the flames in fear.

"I saw it on the news. I saw the aerial shot and saw the fires were too close for comfort," said resident Loida Gonzalez. 

The flames moved north through the night. 

"If it was to get one home, all these houses would go. Because a mobile home burns in 10 to 15 to 20 minutes. Tops," said Barbara Neanover.

Thom Coletti, a forest supervisor with the Florida Forest Service, said Florida is under an extreme brush fire danger due to lack of rain. Crews are investigating the fire, but Coletti believes an ATV or a campfire could have sparked the blaze.

"Definitely wasn't natural-we know that," he said.

Coletti said part of the firefight included using heavy machinery to stop the flames from spreading.

"It is essentially a fire engine on tracks. It will mash down wet lines and bring up moisture  in the soil to create a fire break. It's also used to suppress fire with a hose," he said.

No injuries have been reported.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor. She is now a general assignment reporter. Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home, Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill.