Kids burning Christmas tree in woods sparked brush fire, authorities say

A Christmas tree that was set on fire by kids in a wooded area in South Daytona resulted in thousands of dollars worth of damage to a nearby home, authorities say.

Firefighters were called to a stretch of woods along Reed Canal Road around 1 p.m. on Monday to battle an approximately three-acre brush fire. 

A spokesperson with the South Daytona Police Department said witnesses informed officers that they saw juveniles running out of the woods near where the fire is said to have started.  

The fire spread to a house on Brooks Circle, causing some $5,000 to $10,000 in damages, authorities said.  The occupants of the home were able to escape uninjured.

Firefighters are working to contain a brush fire along Reed Canal Road in Volusia County. (South Daytona Police Department.)

At least one of the juveniles, a 15-year-old boy, was identified and taken into custody, police said. 

Several roads in the area remain closed to traffic while the Fire Marshal investigates the cause. 

Watch FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.