CLAY COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — Fierce flames continue to tear through parts of Florida as firefighters enter nearly a week of battling the wildfire emergency.
Last Sunday, when a sudden shift in weather conditions caused the fire to rapidly intensify, many were caught off-guard and transformed an already dangerous situation into a race against time.
“Scary, absolutely,” said firefighter Robert Chase. “When you see a wall of flames coming at you, it puts life in perspective 100 percent.”
“Scary is the word,” said Lorin Mock. “We are very used to structural fires, but a long fire front — hundreds of yards, maybe a mile long at a time — approaching structures, we can’t even stop that. We have to get in, get people out, and try to protect the structures around it.”
Since then, crews have been working around the clock to contain the blaze. Exhaustion has become part of the job, with firefighters often pushing far beyond their scheduled shifts.
“They were working their 24-hour shift in the station and then typically being held over and working 12 additional, sometimes 24 additional, depending on the needs,” Mock explained.
A fresh round of fire crews from Orlando and Southwest Florida were called in, offering some relief to local firefighter who have been battling the fire nonstop. The added manpower has provided a critical chance for preparation on what can come next.
“The fear is the next one,” said Mock.
Officials emphasize that prevention remains key, noting that the vast majority of wildfires are human-caused.
“Eighty-eight to eighty-nine percent of these wildfires are caused by humans,” Chase said. “If we can put a little bit of a dent in that, it helps us out tremendously.”
On the ground, conditions remain grueling. Firefighters are navigating sandy, dusty and dry terrain.
“They come back looking pretty full of soot and dirt,” Mock said. “It’s going to take more than one shower to get them clean when they get back.”
Crews are said to be dragging heavy hose lines deep into wooded areas to extinguish stubborn hot spots and prevent the fire from spreading further. Despite the physical toll, crews remain committed to protecting their communities.
“Everybody’s got a home life, and the crews that are out here — they’re working 12-hour shifts, day crew and overnight crew,” Chase said. “We know what we sign up for when we get here. We’re here for the community. That’s why we chose this profession.”
Fire officials now report that the Clay-Putnam wildfire is 65 percent contained as the fire fight moves in the right direction.
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