Brush fire threatens Aiken homes

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Updated: 12:38 AM Jul 3, 2009 Brush fire threatens Aiken homes A brush fire east of Aiken led to some homeowners being told to evacuate. Posted: 1:48 PM Jul 2, 2009 Reporter: Melissa Tune Email Address: melissa.tune@wrdw.com

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News 12 at 11 o'clock, July 2, 2009

AIKEN CTY, S.C.---A brush fire started east of Aiken off Snipes Pond Road. It's out now, but earlier today there was a lot of smoke. Some even had to evacuate.

Investigators say they have a pretty good idea of how it started.

Earlier today it was a pretty scary situation for both firefighters and homeowners. Everyone who was evacuated is now home and counting their blessings.

Many thought they'd be displaced tonight, but the Red Cross says it wasn't necessary. That's good news for many who thought their homes would be destroyed.

"I'm praying to God for the best...always expect the worse and hope for the best is what I always say say," said Brandi Tracey. Brandi's prayers were answered: though a brush fire sailed through an area near her home, her property wasn't damaged.

The fire spread through portions of Cooks Bridge Road and Snipes Pond Road. When the flames started early this afternoon, Brandi grabbed a few things and her most precious possession: her puppy.

"He could only fit in my pocketbook, but everything else is there, I'm just worried," she said.

The fire spanned close to 220 acres, and authorities say it may have started because of a spark from a vehicle or heavy equipment.

The hardest thing was containing it.

"We had low humidity and high winds and the field was very dry," said South Carolina Forest Protection Chief Darryl Jones, explaining the tough predicament firefighters faced. Not only was there a "main" fire, but there were other "spot" fires as well.

"When you have a spot fire in front of the main body, it's very unsafe for our operators to go in between the main fire and a spot fire, because when two fires burn together that's when they're the most intense, and that's the easiest place to get trapped."

No firefighters were trapped, but some suffered heat-related problems, which is not uncommon with this type of fire.

No one was injured and many were not even affected, but for those who were, Brandi Tracey is saying a different prayer:

"Everything is okay, nobody loses anything. That's the only thing I'm hoping right now."

Investigators don't believe it's arson. Firefighters are standing by at all evacuated homes and plan to resume their investigation tomorrow.

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