Wildfires force evacuations in central Florida
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - May 12, 2008 Helicopters dropped water on parts of a fire that had burned
between 500 and 600 acres in Daytona Beach, said Division of
Forestry spokesman Timber Weller.
Authorities ordered about 500 homes in the northwest part of the
city to be evacuated. No homes were reported damaged, though
officials warned that embers could fly more than a mile from the
blaze. The fire was about 20 percent contained, Weller said.
"The weather conditions are ripe for extreme fire behavior,"
Weller said. "What we're looking at is fairly typical for this
time of year in Florida, coming into the end of the dry season."
In neighboring Brevard County, a 2,000-acre fire destroyed two
homes in Malabar, firefighters said. No injuries were reported. One
person may be responsible for the blaze, said Ernie Dieble, a Palm
Bay arson investigator.
Also in Brevard County, a 250 acre fire was burning near Cocoa.
Dozens of people were evacuated.
"We've been spraying the roofs," homeowner Joey Byer told
WKMG-TV in Orlando. "We've got every hose we own out here trying
to spray it and helping the firefighters out."
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Associated Press Writer Jennifer Kay in Miami contributed to
this report.
