BRADFORD COUNTY, Fla. — A fast-moving brush fire gave a Bradford County homeowner a scare Sunday afternoon, prompting deputies to jump into action as flames raced toward a nearby home.
Deputies were called to the property after the resident spotted the fire rapidly spreading and moving closer to the house. When they arrived, officials said the flames were just about 50 yards away from the residence and growing quickly.
Seeing how close the fire was getting, deputies began working to slow it down. They noticed an above-ground pool near the flames and cut it open to access water.
Using a nearby bucket, one deputy got water, soaked towels and threw them onto the burning brush in an effort to keep the fire from reaching the home.
Body camera footage shows deputies repeatedly reaching into the pool for more water and tossing it onto the flames. Even with their efforts, the brush fire doubled in size within about five minutes.
Officials said a shift in wind direction ultimately helped push the fire away from the home and into nearby woods. Fire crews arrived shortly after and used hoses to fully extinguish the blaze.
First responders determined the fire started when a homeowner burned cardboard in the yard despite an active burn ban in the county. The fire scorched more than an acre of land, but no structures or vehicles were damaged.
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