Brush fire 100% contained at 3 acres in Golden Gate Estates

Greater Naples Fire Rescue District responded to a brush fire in Golden Gate Estates Thursday. This is a scene unrelated to a brush fire that recently damaged homes in the community.

According to the fire district, the fire was 100% contained at 3 acres on 24th Ave SE near the intersection with DeSoto Boulevard.

Some people near the fire evacuated when it became a danger to them.

“It’s very scary when you’re outside, and you don’t know what is going on in there,” Sara Garita said. “But good thing my husband is there, and he got the dog. I was worried about my dog.”

At one point the Garitas were told they couldn’t return home when the flames were too close it, but their dog was still inside.

“It’s scary. You never think it’s going to happen to you,” Sargio Garita said. “And last week it happened to our neighbors, and today it’s us”

“He told me my house was on fire,” Sara said.

The family dog, Corra, was the only one home when the fire first broke out.

“I was on the road, and my wife called me,” Sargio said. “And I went right away because I was worried about the dog.”

Trees were still smoldering on the Garita’s property Thursday night, where you could see how close the fire got to their home.

“Very scary because you are outside, and you don’t know what’s going on,” Sara said.

Thankfully firefighters were already in the neighborhood.

“We were still working on our old fire at 14th Ave and Everglades,” Battalion Chief Kevin Shock said.

“They came right away, and they patrolled it, so we lucky,” Sargio said.

Rescuing the dog out of the home, firefighters said it helped that their yard was clean of debris.

“It helped for us to get around the property and protect the structure. One thing we did run into was some pine needles and gutters that did ignite,” Shock said. “We always want to remind everybody especially during dry season to keep your gutters clean.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and Collier County remains under a burn ban.

The fire district said opening burning under the wrong conditions leads to many brush fires seen locally.