Brush catches fire in Lehigh Acres, demonstrates authorities’ concerns

LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. – An acre of brush caught fire Monday near homes off E. 21st Street and Wells Avenue before Lehigh Acres Fire contained the flames.

Crews encountered a challenge because of the thick brush in the area and Lt. Matthew Kreft of Lehigh Acres Fire said the dry, windy conditions did not help. It’s a difficult time to fight fires, Kreft said.

“This is the time of year when it’s just a problem for us. We haven’t had rain in a couple of months, all of the foliage is drying out. When we have winds that are kind of kicking today, the fires just move generally just faster, through the trees and through the brush, so the fire spread danger is much higher,” he said.

November was the driest month in the state since 1932, according to the Florida Forest Service.

It’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure fires are not ignited and flames don’t spread, Kreft said. People should be aware of cigarette buds, kids playing with matches and keep brush away from their homes.