3 fires break out in Collier County on Sunday

Florida Forest Service is saying that three fires sparked Sunday in Collier County; two have since been put out and one continues to burn Monday.

The first fire, located on Sanders Boulevard, just off of Collier Boulevard, has been 100% contained as of 12:37 p.m. Tuesday.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has air rescue on scene as well.

Update: Sanders Blvd. fire – 95% contained 35-acres. #wildfire #CollierCounty @FLForestService pic.twitter.com/IeLidJm21A

— FFS Caloosahatchee (@FFS_cafc) May 31, 2021

The second fire is on 80th Avenue SE and is estimated at 70 acres.

Update: 80th Ave SE fire – 100% contained, crews working to improve lines. #wildfire #CollierCounty @FLForestService pic.twitter.com/0eJLFLbr6W

— FFS Caloosahatchee (@FFS_cafc) May 31, 2021

The third fire was upgraded Monday to 70 acres and is located at 122nd Avenue SE. This fire is 40% contained.

Update: 122nd Ave SE fire – 100% contained, 40 acres, improving lines, all ops normal. #wildfire #CollierCounty @FLForestService pic.twitter.com/lgimKLsLz3

— FFS Caloosahatchee (@FFS_cafc) May 31, 2021

Many that live and work near the Sanders Blvd. fire weren’t able to return until around 8 p.m. Sunday. some of those were just happy to get back to their animals.

Richard Sawyer was worried about his chickens. “I take care of chickens out on the Polynesian farm, which is out off of Sanders Boulevard which is just about a mile north and east of where the fire started.”

He was out on the farm earlier and saw the fire start.

“I was out there at 2:30 and the rains were starting to blow in with thunder and all of the sun; there was this terrific lightning strike real close to where I was standing. I didn’t realize it started a fire and I left and came back here.”

Tyler Few also saw that lightning strike and rushed over to help.

“We just came out to contain the fire and tried to help them out the best we could,” Few said.

At its largest, the Sanders Blvd. fire reached 35 acres.

Since then, crews have let people back onto their properties. Now, all of these people are hoping for the same thing.

“Hopefully the rains will come starting tonight; they’re talking about it, that’s what we need,” Sawyer said. “We almost got it today except we got lightning instead of rain.”