A smoky brush fire in Middleburg sent a haze across the County Road 218 corridor Monday afternoon, triggering an evacuation warning and a quick response from Clay County Fire Rescue and the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
The blaze was reported in a wooded patch between Currant Avenue and Maluke Lane, just north of County Road 218, where thick vegetation and scattered homes make firefighters nervous when conditions are dry. Sheriff Michelle Cook urged people nearby to stay alert and be ready to leave if the situation worsens.
According to News4JAX, first responders were on scene Monday and the sheriff's office described the fire as a developing incident. Officials shared location details and told residents to closely follow any instructions from deputies and firefighters.
Where Crews Are Working
The fire is burning in and around wooded lots north of County Road 218, an area where a brush blaze can move quickly when the weather is dry and winds pick up. The county's fire-rescue information notes ongoing investments in stations and equipment to better tackle wildland and brush fires, and those resources were called into action Monday as crews worked to keep the flames in check. As outlined by Clay County Fire Rescue, the department has been expanding coverage for rural stretches like the CR 218 corridor.
What Residents Should Do
People living near the fire zone are being urged to listen closely to deputies and firefighters and to leave immediately if they are told to evacuate. For emergencies, residents should call 911. For non-emergencies, the Clay County Sheriff's Office lists its non-emergency number for local questions and updates.
Deputies have not hesitated to go door to door during previous brush fires to move people out of harm's way. That approach was used in a February incident, when officers evacuated residents ahead of fast-moving flames, according to WFLA.
Recent Fire Activity
Monday's call comes on the heels of a larger brush fire earlier this month near Keystone Heights that grew to more than 300 acres, a reminder that wildfire risk across the region is not going away anytime soon. County leaders have been steering bond-funded money into new fire stations and apparatus to cut response times and bolster protection in rural parts of Clay County, according to public information and recent reporting.
For more on that earlier Keystone Heights blaze and the county's broader fire strategy, see coverage from WCJB and the county's Fire Rescue site.
This is a developing story, and officials are still working the scene. Hoodline will update this article as authorities release additional details.
