JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department on Saturday responded to a brush fire on Old Gainesville Road that threatened nearby structures, including a grocery store.
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The brush fire caused a lot of smoke behind the Publix near the woods. A video sent in by a viewer shows how thick the smoke was and how fast it spread due to the dry weather conditions and high wind.
The Florida Forest Service said the fire spread to five acres and got close to nearby shops, including a Publix, causing concern for shoppers.
“It’s not uncommon to see smoke coming from the Baldwin area because it’s so woodsy out there, but it’s really weird to see it over here,” Sheryl Patterson-Coulibaly said. “In all my years of living in this area, I never seen a brush fire over here, and to see it so close to the buildings, it’s kind of scary.”
Another shopper said she wasn’t concerned, but she was curious about what was happening.
“I think that curiosity would have turned to fear and we would have drove in a whole other direction rather than just switch restaurants if I saw flames, but seeing smoke, I knew the fire crews had it under control,” Keith Morreira said.
The Florida Forest Service said it will investigate the cause of this brush fire.