Fire off of West Hewitt????

organicmama · 03-24-2009, 05:11 PM

What the hail's going on? They have W Hewitt blocked off completely and the smoke is horrid. It's blowing all the way over beyond Sandestin Publix. Does anyone have any info? I hope everyone's okay.

snowman · 03-24-2009, 05:20 PM

oh my goodness!!!! i just drove by and they have every road by west hewitt blocked off...only letting people out...no going in. scary....the wind is just whipping too. anybody have any info yet

.

lovesomebody90 · 03-24-2009, 05:23 PM

Firefighters working to contain large brush fire in Santa Rosa Beach | beach, fire, rosa - News - Northwest Florida Daily News

They are evacuating everyone from their homes. The fire is between Don Bishop and East Hewett.

NotDeadYet · 03-24-2009, 05:24 PM

Just came up on Daily News web site. Not much info, just that it is the west side of Don Bishop. So apparently they are evacuating out of the path of the fire.
Very windy.

Groovegirls · 03-24-2009, 05:50 PM

Just got off the phone with a friend on West Hewitt. Apparently the fire is near the bay at the end of Don Bishop moving west. He tells me that Don Bishop and East Hewitt are completely shut down. He was able to enter West Hewitt but was told to get it together and get out due to a mandatory evacuation order. To anyone still in the area. Be smart. you cannot save anything by being there. If you are not in the evacuation area, wetting down the house and yard can help prevent embers from starting a new fire.

JoeG · 03-24-2009, 06:21 PM

I live on Don Bishop and haven't been evacuated yet. 30 minutes ago the roads were still closed. Sounded like the end of the world around here with all the sirens though.

sunspotbaby · 03-24-2009, 06:23 PM

We're off W. Hewitt and we haven't gotten evacuation orders. E. Hewitt has though, and people are leaving. Heard the sirens first and then noticed smoke to the north of us a little later. Earlier, we heard what we thought was either fireworks or very rapid fire arms.

We're eating dinner and watching the sky and getting ready if we have to leave.

organicmama · 03-24-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunspotbaby

We're off W. Hewitt and we haven't gotten evacuation orders. E. Hewitt has though, and people are leaving. Heard the sirens first and then noticed smoke to the north of us a little later. Earlier, we heard what we thought was either fireworks or very rapid fire arms.

We're eating dinner and watching the sky and getting ready if we have to leave.

Were you at home the whole time?

They have not let anyone in to W. Hewitt. I just talked to a friend who is over at Grand Boulevard after she couldn't get back home. The sky looks better, though. The clouds over that way aren't black anymore.

A friend on Don Bishop was allowed home a little while ago. She's fine on that end.

foodie · 03-24-2009, 08:00 PM

i live off of west hewitt & was home all day & had no idea what was even happening. i heard sirens, but just assumed there was an accident. my mother called me a couple of hours ago to check on me. i never tried to leave, so had no idea they weren't letting people come back in. all is fine as far as i can see from my yard.

ShallowsNole · 03-24-2009, 08:32 PM

Any updates? Hopefully everyone is OK!

sunspotbaby · 03-24-2009, 08:39 PM

We're all good here. I just went outside and I can see stars so I'm happy.
OM we were here the whole time playing outside, but if I hadn't just been looking to the North, I would have never known there was a fire, as we didn't smell smoke. I just happened to see it. Hopefully they have it under control or out at this point. Thank you SWFD!

organicmama · 03-24-2009, 09:13 PM

Residents flee flames; homes evacuated in Walton

Rick Thomason
Florida Freedom Newspapers
An afternoon fire that started on Don Bishop Road in south Walton County quickly spread westward, prompting a mandatory evacuation of between 30 and 50 homes, according to South Walton Assistant Fire Chief Marc Anderson.
The fire station received a call at about 4 p.m. from a woman at 653 Don Bishop Rd. who reported her home surrounded by fire, Anderson said. She and her children escaped the flames and firefighters saved her home.
But the fire, fueled by winds from the east, eventually spread to about 20 acres. Anderson said that as of 6:30 p.m. SWFD had about 30 personnel on the scene working the fire. Additionally, the U.S. Forestry Service had five bulldozer crews cutting fire breaks.
Walton County sheriff's deputies had Don Bishop, East Hewett and part of West Hewett roads still blocked at 7 p.m. No residents were being allowed down those roads as crews continued to work to fully contain the blaze.
The cause of the fire had not been determined, but federal officials will investigate.
Evacuees were being offered refuge at South Walton High School on Highway 331.

organicmama · 03-24-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foodie

i live off of west hewitt & was home all day & had no idea what was even happening. i heard sirens, but just assumed there was an accident. my mother called me a couple of hours ago to check on me. i never tried to leave, so had no idea they weren't letting people come back in. all is fine as far as i can see from my yard.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunspotbaby

We're all good here. I just went outside and I can see stars so I'm happy.
OM we were here the whole time playing outside, but if I hadn't just been looking to the North, I would have never known there was a fire, as we didn't smell smoke. I just happened to see it. Hopefully they have it under control or out at this point. Thank you SWFD!

Y'all were the few that stayed. Obviously, they didn't go door to door. Glad everyone's okay!

organicmama · 03-24-2009, 10:19 PM

SW Fire

Around 4:00pm Tuesday afternoon the South Walton Fire District (SWFD) began working a large brush fire. The Fire District initially reported approximately 8 to 10 acres in the wooded area towards the bay on the west side of Don Bishop Road and near East Hewitt in Santa Rosa Beach. South Walton High School was opened as an Evacuation Shelter.

South Walton Deputy Fire Chief Sean Hughes says the fire was approximately 125 acres and effected about 30 homes. Hughes says some residents evacuated to the high school. The Florida Division of Forestry had 5 tractors working the fire.

Hughes says East Hewitt was reopened around 8:30pm, though some traffic on Don Bishop remained blocked longer as forestry continued to work hot spots. The site was monitored for hot spots and a check made at first light. The division of Forestry is investigating the cause of the fire.

Responding to assist South Walton Fire Department were Destin, Freeport, Panama City Beach and Walton Fire-Rescue EMS with coverage.

Around 7:30 pm Walton County Administrator Ronnie Bell came to the Commissioner meeting and reported on the fire. Bell said none of the homes were damaged. He also reported a 30 to 40 acre fire off Steelfield Road just north of the Intracoastal Canal. Bell noted the fire dangers in dry windy conditions.

On a related note, Walton Commissioners approved the interlocal agreement between South Walton Fire District and the Walton County Emergency Response Division.

Smiling JOe · 03-24-2009, 10:36 PM

Freeport Fire and Rescue also reported, along with Forestry Divisions north of the Bay. Most of the smoke was blowing north. Freeport is smoked out and it isn't Chris V on the old Barbecue grill. When I saw the smoke, it was early into the fire, and it was so focused that I thought surely it was a house or several houses on fire. I also saw the smoke from the other fire on Steel Field Rd, and was beginning to think that it was controlled burns until I saw the po-po, fire rescue and Forestry trucks all hauling butt to the scene.

Minnie · 03-24-2009, 11:12 PM

Glad everyone was ok.