Geneva brush fire prompts voluntary evacuations

GENEVA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Seminole County firefighters are working to contain a brush fire northeast of Oviedo, near Geneva.  Officials say the fire, which had grown to 63 acres and was roughly 25 percent contained late Monday, prompted voluntary evacuations..

People could see and smell the smoke from miles away on Monday. It’s all happening right outside Roger Butcher’s home.

“I live in a wooden house in the woods,” Butcher said with a laugh.

He says he’s lived on Genova Drive for almost 30 years and wants to keep it that way.

“We’ve been spraying the roof down for the embers that are floating through,” Butcher explained.

Seminole County firefighters say they were called to the brush fire near County Road 426 just before noon Monday.

“There was a fire in this area last night, so it's the thought that it probably flared up from the fire in the area last night,” said Lt. Paula Thompson with the Seminole County Fire Department.

It’s been growing fast. Fire officials say about 15 homes on Packard Drive are under the voluntary evacuation.

“The reason for that evacuation is just because of the condition in that area and the high winds, and the fire was spreading toward that area,” Thompson explained.

A helicopter dropped water on the fire as crews below worked to get it contained. 

“The Florida Fire Service it out here and they take their dozers and cut fire breaks and that helps preventing the fire from jumping the line,” she said.

Fire crews say they will be monitoring the fire through the night.