POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Polk County Fire Rescue said Friday that all of Indian Lakes Estates is under a mandatory evacuation because of a brush fire.
“Everyone is asked to avoid the area,” said Kevin Walter, Polk County Fire Rescue public information officer.
Several structures in the area were on fire. Fire crews asked residents to leave so firefighters could protect the structures.
Residents were asked to gather at PJ’s Restaurant outside of Indian Lakes Estates, according to Polk County Fire Rescue.
The American Red Cross will open a shelter at 8 p.m. for those who were displaced at First Presbyterian Church at 305 East Central Avenue in Lake Wales.
Florida Fire Service officials said they did not have a size estimate on the Polk County blaze yet.
Fire Rescue officials said nearly 100 firefighting vehicles were called to battle the blaze in Indian Lake Estates, which has 800 residential homes and 8,000 lots.
In Brevard County, a brush fire in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge grew to 500 acres Friday afternoon and officials expect they'll be fighting the blaze through Saturday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.
More than 100 brush fires have been reported in Florida during the last several weeks.
Polk County officials gave an update on the 700-acre, 60 percent contained fire Saturday afternoon.
As of 12:45 p.m., the mandatory evacuation remained in effect, the Fire Rescue said. Officials said no homes were destroyed.
Fire Rescue officials called the fire "suspicious."
Indian Lake Estates Update @FLForestService 6 dozers on the ground worki g with @PolkFire No size yet pic.twitter.com/sV3Rt4lC23
— FFS_Lakeland (@FFS_Lakeland) April 21, 2017
The mandatory evacuation was lifted at 4 p.m. Saturday, according to Polk County officials.
As of Sunday afternoon, the fire was 75 percent contained, officials said. About two dozen firefighters were remained at the scene trying to keep the fire contained.
Check back for more on this developing story.