By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: May 14, 2009

SEBRING - Shortly before 5 p.m., Tuesday, Highlands County dispatchers began fielding several phone calls about brush fires in the area of Sun 'n Lake.

Firefighters with the Highlands Lake and Sun 'n Lake fire departments responded to Cantoria and Durango avenues to assist residents, who were out in their yards with garden hoses trying to keep the flames at bay.

The area was covered in heavy smoke, but responders were able to put out the blaze before it could catch any of the surrounding homes on fire.

Just as the fires were brought under control, the skies opened up, the rains fell and lightning streaked across the sky. Those bolts of electricity would keep firefighters in Lake Placid busy for a majority of the night.

Chief Adam Hess said Lake Placid units assisted Placid Lakes firefighters in containing a brush fire on Parkland Drive that also endangered structures.

At the same time, calls came in about a brush fire at Rose Lane in Sun 'n Lakes and a small house that became engulfed.

Lightning hits were responsible for all three blazes, according to Hess.

"It was wicked," he said. "That sky was green as we were responding to Parkland."

The residents of the house were going out when the lightning hit.

"They were leaving the house and noticed a flash and after that, it was all over," Hess said, adding that the home was fully involved when firefighters arrived.

Avon Park firefighters were busy earlier in the afternoon with a brush fire near East Main Street that damaged a shed and some of its contents.

Capt. Steve Marquart said a nearby home also suffered minor damage when the heat from the fire melted some of the vinyl siding. The cause is still being investigated by the state fire marshal's office.

Tuesday's storms and fires followed right on the heels of a warning from Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Charles Bronson that dry conditions in central and south Florida are expected to intensify in the coming days and weeks.

These conditions have already been responsible for increased wildfire activity. Since Jan. 1, the state has seen more than 2,000 wildfires that have burned almost 56,000 acres, according to a press release.

Over Mother's Day weekend, 63 new wildfires broke out and burned 2,500 acres.

"Many of our counties have significant areas with readings at the highest levels of the drought index," Bronson said.

Residents and visitors are asked to not toss lit cigarettes out of car windows, avoid unnecessary outdoor burning, be careful when using power tools and check with officials to see if a local burn ban is in effect.

"Prevention continues to be the key," Bronson said.

Highlands Today reporter Brad Dickerson can be reached at 863-386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com.