BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A brush fire that closed Interstate 95 over the weekend is now 100 percent contained.

 

 

 

Authorities on Monday morning shut down a portion of I-95 in both directions as the Micco Scrub Fire has already ripped through 600 acres near the Palm Bay area.

However, I-95 reopened around 8 a.m., Monday, the Florida Highway Patrol told Spectrum News 13.

As of Monday afternoon the fire was completely contained.

This fire is burning in a wooded area near a subdivision, but as of now the Palm Bay Fire Department residents are not being asked to evacuate.

The fire also created traffic issues for anyone in the area who usually takes I-95 to work.

Smoke from the fire may have created visibility issues and that was why officials shut down a portion of the highway between Malabar Road, which is Exit 173 and extending to the South County Line early Monday morning.

The fire is burning close to the Deer Run Subdivision in Palm Bay, a major road leading to that neighborhood that was temporarily shut down Sunday as crews battled the fire.

One resident who was concerned about how close the brush fire was to his home.

"When we tried to come back on Babcock Street here, the officers had us go all the way back to U.S. 1 and come back across but when we got home there was heavy smoke in the area and helicopters flying over. Wow!" exclaimed Scott Nelson. ​

That resident said he was even more worried about the fire shifting its path because he says there are not many fire hydrants in the area.

The good news for residents around here is that crews worked to protect their homes and as a result the fire move north.