As crews continue to battle wildfires in southwest Florida, a group of local firefighters returned to the Bay area after helping out.

  • 21 Bay area firefighters made up strike team
  • Team worked to prevent fires from reaching homes
  • Collier wildfire stretches 9 miles long, 3 miles wide

Twenty-one firefighters from Pasco County, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Largo and St. Petersburg made up the strike team sent to Collier County over the weekend.

Dunedin Deputy Fire Chief Trip Barrs led the group and said their assignment while there was to stop the fires from reaching homes.
 
“It’s very heart-wrenching," said Barrs. "You see the evacuees leaving the area with their vehicles packed down and trailers loaded with what possessions they could get, and we’re going the other way towards it.  We may or may not be able to save their home, depending on the situation.”

With the wildfire stretching 9 miles long and 3 miles wide, Barrs said firefighters they aided out of Naples were in need of some relief.

"They were just whipped," Barrs said.  "I heard a report that one of their fire engines ran continuously for 96 hours.”

All together, his team worked to ensure the fire didn’t spread to 14 homes and two landscaping businesses, well worth the trip out of town to lend a hand.

“Brother and sister helping brother and sister,” Barrs said.  “One big family.”