BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — A brush fire that ignited in western Broward County Sunday has burned more than 11,090 acres and was at 60% containment as of Monday evening.
Residents like Audrey Gonzalez, who has lived in the area for 35 years, were on high alert, preparing to evacuate if necessary.
“(I’m) very, very concerned,” she said, adding that she’s been “coming out in the middle of night, just to make sure that it wasn’t coming towards our way.”
The fire could be seen from West Broward High School, though students remained in class.
West Broward resident Roxanne Gill said, “We could hear it crackling. That’s how bad it was. I had to hose down my house.”
“Everyone was hosing down all their trailers before the fire department came,” she said.
At long last, rain began to fall in the late afternoon, which was a welcomed sight for residents.
“This is amazing, we have been praying for this because it was very dry and the prediction was like it’s not gonna dry until tonight, so I’m super, super grateful right now,” said Elba Navarro. “I live nearby and honestly I didn’t sleep last night. I was waking up every two hours running to the window to see how close the fire was.”
As the fire moves deeper into the everglades, the concern for neighbors now is the displaced wildlife showing up at their front doors.
“Not just only something happened to them that of course I’m concerned but alligators, coyotes, snakes, they run and they run to our house because we have lakes,” said Navarro.
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