Wildfire claims 20 acres in Avalon on Wednesday

A Wednesday afternoon brush fire appears to be contained, but crews will continue monitoring this blaze that claimed 20 roughly acres.

Joe Zwierchowski, a fire mitigation specialist with the Florida Division of Forestry, reported Wednesday night that Florida Forest Service crews are on the scene reinforcing the lines and the fire is 95% contained at 20 acres.

Zwierchowski expects an accurate acreage total once the fire is 100 percent contained and they use a GPS system to map the fire damages.

All residents have returned home after four homes were evacuated because of smoke. 

When the fire was discovered it led to the evacuation of four homes due to smoke and the threat caused by the fire.

Zwierchowski indicated that crews will continue to monitor this fire for the next several days and we urge drivers on I-10, Avalon Boulevard and surrounding roads to be cautious if they encounter smoke.

Debris inside the fire lines will continue to burn for the next several days but warning signs will be posted.

The Wednesday afternoon fire started in the area of 15th Avenue and Santa Monica Street and then progressed to Del Monte and 19th Avenue.

One Santa Rosa County resident was on I-10 coming from Pensacola when she saw what is to believe the fire start, according to a post on the Press Gazette Facebook site.

"I saw it when I was coming from Pensacola this afternoon," Sandra VerCrouse said. "(A) combo of colors made me think someone was burning plastic and tires. It was a large poof like an accelerant had been used then it got smaller.

Avalon-Mulat Fire Chief Sid Wiggins indicated his department has responded to the area twice earlier this week in regards to fires, which appear to have been started by fireworks.

“We responded to the first fire and then when we went back for the second fire we discovered new bottle rocket carcasses,” Wiggins said. “We put the fire out both times.

“After the first fire I contacted the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office due to the burn ban.”

Units responding included Avalon, Bagdad, Pace, Skyline, Harold, and East Milton fire departments responded with personnel and equipment to protect structures with the Division of Forestry plowing to containing the fire.

Zwierchowski reported that the paved roads in the area have aided in containing the blaze, which the cause of is still unknown at this time.