Family living near bushfire considered 'evacuating'

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – A hot, dry Memorial Day caught fire Monday afternoon when a bush fire broke out near the Alton neighborhood, south of Donald Ross Road.

“It could be dangerous, we thought we had to evacuate honestly,” said Samson Scarola. “My dad came home screaming, 'Oh my God, there's a fire!'

Samson said his family lived a quarter-mile from where the fire started and said he called 911.

“My wife wanted to run for her life when she saw the black smoke rising and being carried away,” David Samson said.

David said he regularly drives past the bushfire area which has burned at least two acres.

“My concern is I don’t want to see this area destroyed,” David Samson said. “Every day I come in the morning, I see coyotes, I see bobcats, so natural space is very important to me.”

His concern was also felt by Ted Roets who lives near the fire.

“There's a bobcat that lives right here, that's why I came here to make sure everything was OK,” said Roets, who said he calls the bobcat “Bob.” “His house wasn’t hit, so I think he’s OK.”

Roets said he didn't know about the fire until he saw it on the news, then he heard a helicopter and received a phone call from a friend asking if he was going GOOD.

“When someone told you there was a fire near your house, what was your reaction?” asked WPTV reporter Joel Lopez.

“Well, my reaction was I need to find out what’s going on in case there’s a problem,” Roets said.

The fire caused the closure of portions of Donald Ross Road leading to the affected area.

The fire occurred just west of the Alton Town Center shopping center which is home to Miller's Ale House, Publix and a Home Depot.

“It's pretty concerning. I mean, Alton is right here, there's a lot of kids, a lot of pets, a lot of animals just in the backyard,” said Jennifer Castro, who lives in side of the fire.

Castro was running on Donald Ross Road when she noticed the smoke.

It just doesn't happen every day in Palm Beach Gardens or Jupiter,” Castro said. “I usually run that way and head north, it's a beautiful green space.”

Neighbors said it has been hot and dry in this area recently, but so far it is unclear what started the fire.

Overall, they reported feeling safe after seeing the tremendous efforts of first responders.