Polk residents return

LAKE WALES - People are back in their homes after a 300-acre brushfire forced them to evacuate.

Fire crews have been working around the clock to contain the flames at Tiger Lake in Lake Wales. For the most part, they got some relief with Sunday's rain, but emergency crews say the drought is still fueling fires.

There isn't much left of Ray Feagle's mobile home. The steel frames are melted to the ground. 20 years worth of hard work went up in flames. Now this 77-year-old man and his wife are left with nothing.

"It's wiped us out down here," Feagle said.

His house is one of three homes destroyed in Saturday's brush fire. Dozens of families were evacuated as emergency crews worked to contain the 300 acre fire.

Samuel Acree was one of the lucky ones.

"If it would have been 10 minutes later, I wouldn't have a place. And they saved it. If it would've been a little sooner, they could have saved these people," says Acree.

Emergency crews worked quickly saving dozens of homes. Polk County Battalion Chief Kevin Giliam says two large brushfires were reported in less than two hours, so crews were brought in from surrounding counties.

He says although Sundays rain helped, it's only a drop in the bucket.

"It may help for a little while, but even a lightening strike they ahd some last night in the middle of this storm and it started some brushfires in the north Lakeland area," says Chief Giliam.

There are several hot spots in the area and because of that the Division of Forestry says they will continue to monitor the area making sure it doesn't spark up again. Still no word on what caused either fire.

Emergency crews say, you can help them fight these brush fires by keeping your roof clear of debris. Also, remove combustible materials away from home. And inspect your property. Wood and other dry vegetation close to your house could help fuel a fire.