INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Firefighters extinguished flames that ignited in an empty pasture Wednesday afternoon that were possibly caused by several lightning strikes, officials said.
PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL
No injuries were reported and no homes were threatened from the flames, Indian River County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Roger Dion said. The fire, about 10 to 15 acres, was completely extinguished shortly before 7 p.m., Dion said.
Several residents called authorities about 3 p.m. Wednesday after they reported seeing bolts of lightning followed by a large cloud of smoke that billowed in the air. The fire erupted in an empty pasture in the 7000 block of 21st Street Southwest, east of Interstate 95 and west of 66th Avenue, Dion said.
“We had calls from several people outside the area saying they smelled and saw smoke,” Dion said. Dion said southeast winds, about 5 mph, carried the smoke out to the roadway at 66th Avenue.
The blaze was almost fully contained shortly after 6 p.m. and fully extinguished about 7 p.m., Dion said. Homes in the area were about 60 yards away from the fire, Dion said.
Fire trucks could be seen driving through the agricultural area.
