BIG PINE KEY, Fla. – Key West firefighters and a neighbor saved a woman's home Sunday from a brush fire in Big Pine Key, authorities said.
Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said Juanita Kretschmar has lived at the home on 19th Street for 23 years.
She said Kretschmar and her housemate, George Adams, were home Sunday afternoon when they heard banging on the door.
"It was the police, who said I would be trapped by the fire soon if I didn't get out," Kretschmar said. "I grabbed a couple of things and my Bible."
Clark said Kretschmar also put her bird named BRD and dogs, Napoleon and Waterloo, in her car before evacuating.
Authorities said the fire reached her porch, but Key West firefighters who were assigned to the area and a neighbor with a garden hose helped spare the woman's home.
"They did it. They saved my home," Kretschmar said. "God bless them."
Clark said Kretschmar's home also survived Hurricane Irma just seven months ago. Only a small part of the roof was blown off and was repaired.
Kretschmar was able to go back home late Sunday evening, but it was too smoky to stay, Clark said.
"I'm just so thankful it's still here," she said.
Several local fire departments assisted in containing the brush fire Sunday on Big Pine Key.
"Unfortunately, we did lose one home, but through the incredible hard work of the men and women firefighters we were able to save several homes and nobody was injured," said Monroe County Emergency Management Director Martin Senterfitt, who led Incident Command. "Some firefighters worked through the night without rest and continue to work today."
The Islamorada Fire Department posted drone footage on social media Monday, showing what the fire on Big Pine Key looked like earlier in the morning.
The fire has burned at least 100 acres so far and remains about 40 percent contained.
Fire crews worked to put out hotspots overnight -- a task that continued into the afternoon.
"As the hottest part of the day comes and the winds pick up, we're expecting flare ups," Senterfitt said.
The fire, which sparked around 2 p.m. Sunday, quickly spread westward. Local, state and federal agencies from as far north as Miami-Dade County traveled to battle the blaze, using fire trucks on the ground and a helicopter to dump 500 gallons of water at a time onto hotspots.
"I can't say enough about the help we're getting," Senterfitt said.
Big Pine Key was one of the worst hit areas during Hurricane Irma and much of the lingering debris is serving as fuel for the fire.
"A lot of it is vegetative debris, but there's also other debris in there. Last night, some liquid propane tanks exploded," Senterfitt said.
No injuries have been reported, but one house and its detached garage burned to the ground.
"That guy lost everything," Big Pine Key resident Mary Lou Webster said.
A Key deer fawn was also rescued by Monroe County Fire Rescue firefighter Jen Shockley as Shockley was working to stop the fire from spreading to a home on the corner of Raccoon Run and Wilder Boulevard.
"I jumped into the flames and saved the little guy," she said. "He was all by himself and running for his life into the fire."
The fawn was given oxygen and water, and wrapped in a sheet.
Authorities said the fawn was uninjured but was kept in Monroe County Fire Rescue's tanker until the fire was under control in that area.
The fawn, whose mother was nowhere in sight, was released into a nearby unburned area at about 3 a.m. Monday.
Authorities said no other Key deer have been found harmed from the fire or appear to be stressed.
Authorities said it is not uncommon to see deer near fires. Fires are even actually needed for Key deer habitat, as the new growth that will follow provides nourishment for the herd, authorities said.