HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Firefighters in Hillsborough County faced a grueling Tuesday afternoon as a massive RV fire on Skywood Drive ignited a fast-moving brush fire, marking one of a dozen outside blazes to strike the region in a single day.
The Emergency Dispatch Communications Center began fielding a flurry of 911 calls at 2:15 PM, with witnesses reporting smoke and flames near the Valrico neighborhood.
When the first crews pulled up to the scene, they were met with an RV completely engulfed in flames, with the surrounding dry vegetation already catching fire.
The situation was particularly tense for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, as this specific incident was one of six active outside fires burning simultaneously across the county. Despite the heavy workload, crews managed to launch a dual attack, dousing the recreational vehicle while cutting off the brush fire’s path.
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The team brought the scene under control within 25 minutes, a rapid response that stopped the flames from reaching nearby structures. Officials confirmed that no civilians or first responders were injured during the chaos.
The Fire Investigations Unit is currently on-site, digging through the charred remains to figure out exactly how the fire started.
In the meantime, the incident serves as a stark reminder that Hillsborough County is still under a strict burn ban. With weather conditions creating a powder keg for wildland fires, residents are being told to stick to the restrictions and stay sharp.
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