The Florida Forest Service, Pasco Fire Rescue and other agencies are fighting two separate fires in Pasco County Monday.
- Brush fires located off State Road 52, Hays Road
- Voluntary evacuation order lifted as of 8:30 p.m.
- Interactive brush fires map
Officials have named the fire burning off State Road 52 the Silver Palms Fire. This fire is close to the Suncoast Lakes subdivision, which includes about 50 homes.
Officials estimate the fire is about 200-300 yards from the nearest homes, and is about 25 percent contained.
The second fire has been labeled the Campground Fire. The Campground Fire is in the Starkey Wilderness Preserve - Seranova, south of State Road 52 and Hays Road. The fire is estimated at about 55 acres and is 55 percent contained.
No homes are immediately threatened. Residents in the area of the fires who might suffer from respiratory ailments are advised to close windows this evening due to smoke.
A voluntary evacuation order was issued just after 7 p.m. for residents and special needs residents of the Suncoast Lakes subdivision. That order has since been lifted.
"I was terrified."
Area resident Louise Christie was among those given the choice to evacuate Monday evening. She and her family packed up what they could, but eventually chose to stay put.
Christie described the entire situation Monday as "freaky."
"My mom lives with us -- who is 92 -- and she was alone for a few hours and she called me saying she saw smoke," said Christie. "And then she started crying and then I heard the loud speaker to evacuate."
Christie's neighbors have also decided to stay, saying they'll turn on their sprinklers if need be to hopefully keep fire from approaching their homes.
One neighbor, Christiana Pineiro, told us the clouds of smoke made the entire scene even more frightening.
"I was terrified," said Pineiro. "Coming here, because I came down 52, it was pretty bad and then coming in the community and everything is smoked out, so you fear the worst."
"That is very scary," she continued. "I mean, the first thing I did when I came home was take pictures of everything because you never know."
Fire officials believe both the Silver Palms Fire and the Campgrounds Fire started from a lightning strike last week that smoldered until Monday. Crews expect to remain on site fighting these fire through the entire night.