Brush fire threatens homes in Cocoa

COCOA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Crews were battling the flames here on state road 524 until about 8:30pm, right across the street from a residential neighborhood. The raging fire engulfed trees along state road 524. Firefighters used heavy machinery to beat back the flames. Dr. Brad Bagwell owns a dental practice across the street. It didn't take him long to realize something was wrong.

“We're in there treating our patients and all of a sudden we see the smoke coming by the window and start getting a little nervous,” Bagwell said, “and then you could smell it so you knew it was close and we saw the emergency vehicles driving by.”

The fire was burning close to this neighborhood. One house's roof caught fire when flames got close to clogged gutters. Tanya Canales was outside of a friend's house, making sure her roof didn't do the same.

“Just trying to keep the roof wet so we don't burn the house down, just in case,” Canales said, “I'm actually at a friend's house and helping her out.”

The cause is still being investigated. About five acres burned. Firefighters from several agencies dug trenches around the burning trees and bushes to keep the blaze contained, but it was hard to do on a windy day like this. At least one man living nearby seemed to take it in stride, though.

“If it was really bad you'd see the helicopter with the water like they had last week, when the wildfires were down near the landfill,” said Joe Degraw, living across the street from the wire, “with these guys not excited and going crazy, I'm pretty comfortable they've got it under control and we should be good.”

Unlike previous years, no one was ordered to evacuate with this fire. Residents say the last time that happened on this stretch of road was in 2009.