Small Brush Fire Threatens Apartments

A small brush fire that briefly threatened apartments near Hernando High School and engulfed the downtown area in smoke on Monday may have been deliberately set, officials say.

Crews from the city of Brooksville, Hernando County Fire Rescue and the Division of Forestry responded to the blaze in a wooded area near the corner of Bell and Oak streets at about 11:30 a.m. after a witness reported seeing flames, Brooksville Fire Chief Tim Mossgrove said.

The blaze was under control in about half an hour, he said.

The slow-moving fire, fueled by downed trees and dried vegetation, scorched an area of about 1,000 square feet and came uncomfortably close to the Bell Crest Apartments, Mossgrove said. Firefighters stationed an engine in front of the buildings as a precaution.

Light winds blew smoke from the fire into downtown, prompting numerous calls from concerned residents, Mossgrove said. Judging from the smoke, "you could have sworn it was a larger fire than it was," he said.

Forestry officials are investigating the blaze and suspect it was deliberately set. Another suspicious fire in the same area two Saturdays ago also scorched a small area of woods.

Tinderbox conditions in the county have prompted officials to put a burn ban in effect.