"The Hawthorne Bay Fire" is at thirty acres and growing in Southeast Alachua County.
Ten workers are plowing fire lines in an effort to contain the fire, that could grow as big as one hundred acres. After the death of two firefighters of the Division of Forestry Monday in Hamilton County, putting on that uniform carries a sobering reminder.
Two veteran firefighters lost their lives in the "blue ribbon fire" in Hamilton County yesterday. A loss that affects those who are reminded they too are risking everything in the wildfires that continue to burn across North Central Florida.
31-year-old Josh Burch of Lake City and 52-year-old Brett Fulton of White Springs were killed when their tractors, cutting fire lines, were overwhelmed with flames. Two others, Robert Marvin and Stephen Carpenter, were injured during their efforts to save Burch and Fulton.
Jamie Rittenhouse, forest area supervisor for Alachua County, says the winds are variable pushing west and south. A sea breeze tonight may give a chance to change north which could threaten the three homes in the "Hawthorne Bay Fire" area.
Firefighters have plowed fire lines around those homes.