Multiple brush fires break out in Palm Bay, prompting precautionary evacuations | FOX 35 Orlando
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Multiple brush fires break out in Palm Bay, prompting precautionary evacuations

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Updated  April 23, 2025 6:30pm EDT
Brevard County
FOX 35 Orlando

Palm Bay brush fire: 12 homes evacuated, officials say

Two fires have sparked in the area of Palm Bay. One is fully contained, the second is smaller and not contained. About a dozen homes were evacuated as a precaution, according to the Palm Bay Police Department.

The Brief

    • Multiple brush fires broke out in Palm Bay on Wednesday, briefly prompting evacuations.
    • One fire occurred near Interstate 95; a second scorched over three acres near Onyx Drive; and multiple small fires were reported in "The Compound."
    • A countywide burn ban is in effect due to drought conditions, as crews continue battling the blaze.

PALM BAY, Fla. - Multiple brush fires broke out in Palm Bay on Wednesday, briefly prompting evacuations. Two of the fires were fully contained by 4 p.m. while other small fires continued to burn in the southwestern part of the city.

Fires briefly prompt evacuations

What we know:

Several brush fires ignited in Palm Bay on Wednesday afternoon. 

One fire near Interstate 95 and Malabar Road [GMap] was put out quickly, authorities said. A second fire, which began near the railroad tracks behind Onyx Drive [GMap], was fully contained just before 4 p.m., and several small fires continued to burn early Wednesday evening in "The Compound," which is an undeveloped area in the southwestern part of the city [GMap]. 

Fire near Interstate 95

A fire broke out near Interstate 95, southwest of the intersection of Babcock Street and Malabar Road, early Wednesday afternoon. A large plume of smoke was visible for miles, although traffic on I-95 was not immediately affected, according to officials.

No homes or businesses were immediately threatened, and the blaze was extinguished by 4 p.m.

Fire near Onyx Drive 

A Palm Bay police vehicle caught fire Wednesday afternoon while officers responded to a known homeless encampment near Onyx Drive and the nearby railroad tracks, authorities said.

The incident occurred around 1:17 p.m. and briefly spread to nearby brush before crews quickly brought it under control, preventing damage to any structures, according to Palm Bay Police. 

The officer sustained minor injuries while attempting to extinguish the blaze.

Palm Bay Fire Rescue responded swiftly to the Onyx Drive blaze, which was reported before 2 p.m. and quickly scorched over three acres of dry underbrush. 

Palm Bay Fire Rescue responded swiftly to the Onyx Drive blaze, which was reported before 2 p.m. and quickly scorched over three acres of dry underbrush. 

At its peak, the fire was close to five acres in size.  A dozen homes along Onyx Dr. were briefly evacuated as a precautionary measure because the fire was dangerously close to those residences, police said. The evacuations were later lifted. 

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Palm Bay Fire Rescue units across the city have been busy with two major brush fires. There have been some evacuations as both fires threatened homes and businesses. [Credit: Palm Bay Fire Rescue]

Fires in The Compound 

Several small brush fires ignited in the southwestern part of Palm Bay in an undeveloped area known locally as "The Compound."

Most of the fires were along Street Andre Blvd. SW and Acmar Ave. SW.

Authorities said more than five acres were burning early Wednesday evening but that no structures were threatened. 

The FOX 35 Storm Team observed a visible smoke plume on the FOX 35 Storm Tracker Radar, extending nearly 30 miles west into neighboring Osceola County.  

What we don't know:

The exact cause of the fire near I-95 and the fires in "The Compound" are still under investigation. 

The backstory:

The fires come amid unusually dry weather in Brevard County. On Tuesday, just one day before the fires broke out, the county issued a ban on open burning due to elevated wildfire risk. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index, which measures soil dryness, has surpassed 500 out of a possible 800 — a threshold that automatically triggers a countywide burn ban under a 2017 ordinance.

The ban prohibits bonfires, campfires, trash burning, and other forms of open incineration, but still allows for state-permitted burns and the use of barbecue grills.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Palm Bay Fire Rescue, Brevard County Fire Rescue, and the Florida Forest Service.

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