4 homes destroyed in Lehigh brush fire

The Romero family rallied behind their father Saturday as the full weight of losing everything in a brush fire bore down.

"Everything, everything that I had in there is gone," Joe Romero said. "The only thing I have left is my clothes on my back. Pictures, memories, I can’t think."

Winds, acres of dry brush and a lit cigarette likely created the fire that raced through Lehigh Acres on Friday, destroying the Romero home and three others, as well as multiple cars, fire officials said.

"Nobody should be burning anything," said Gov. Rick Scott, standing on the road Saturday in front of two of the four destroyed homes on 21st Street West. "There's no reason to burn anything right now; this state is dry."

Chief Dale Reisen, an inspector with Lee County Arson Investigation Team, said a parent waiting for a school bus likely flicked a burning cigarette that started a 400-acre wildfire that destroyed the homes, a garage and 16 vehicles.

"The fire moved 2 miles through Lehigh, jumping from street to street," Reisen said. The destroyed homes were at 2704 and 2706 21st Street West and 2813 and 2013 24th Street West.

The garage at Joe Romero's 2706 21st Street West property also was destroyed, as well as a pickup and a kennel.

Romero said he tried to get insurance on his two-story home, but it was cost-prohibitive: $6,000 to $7,000 for six months because of the risk.

His son, Josiel Romero, 20, said he was certain his father would recoup, however.

"You can only go up from here," he said. "I know my dad is strong, and he’ll do what he can to get into a better home."

Joe Romero said friends and family have offered  a place to stay.

The Romeros, however, were worried about their neighbor, whose house was destroyed, but they hadn't yet seen it.

"He's a great neighbor, he kept to himself," Joe Romero said. "He would bring cookies, cupcakes for the kids and family."

Other homeowners were attempting to make the best of the situation.

"It's just material things that can be replaced in the future," said Eduardo Romero, no relation to Joe. His brother, who doesn't speak English, lives at at 2717 Hanna Ave. N. The brother lost a boat, Jacuzzi, lawn mower and had other property damage.

"Everybody is alive," Eduardo Romero said. "No lives to lament. ... We're together, we can rebuild everything."

Southwest Florida is at high risk for fires; with rainfall well-below normal and canals drying up across the region.

Stephen Shiveley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the area continues to be under a severe drought. Fort Myers has had 2.45 inches of precipitation since Jan. 1, while normal is 8.6 inches.

"It's not a huge deprive; it's just drier than our normal dry season should be," he said.

And while 10 mph winds aren't a huge factor in fanning the flames, large fires can have a microclimate that increases those winds, he said.

"Normally, when 15 to 20 mph is when the winds become a bigger factor," Shiveley said. "Ten isn't helping the fact, but 15-20 is a nuisance or problem."

He said when combined, however, a single spark can create havoc.

"Something you might think would be harmless like that can kick off a 400 500 acre fire," he said.

While the wet season begins in late May, it will take several weeks of rain to bring the region out of the drought.

"We are dry," Gov. Scott said. "We’re still two or three months away from getting enough rain to make a difference. ... Don’t throw a cigarette butt down on the ground. Don’t take a chance. Be very, very, very cautious."

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The governor had attended a Saturday morning news conference in Collier County about a 5,500-acre wildfire in Golden Gate Estates, where people in more than 7,000 homes were ordered to evacuate. Scott had called in the National Guard to assist.

In Lehigh Acres, where the fire spread to its full strength within two hours, Scott asked the National Guard to help monitor the area, along with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Florida Highway Patrol,  and National Guard helicopters.

"Out here, things happen so fast," he said. "It's hard to get help fast enough. There's so much brush."

As officials attempted to discover the fire's cause, Reisen said fire inspectors combed an area on 19th Street Southwest between Lee Boulevard and Ann Avenue.

"We were able to find the origin site, and, in the middle, found a cigarette," Reisen said. "We believe that is what caused this fire."

He said neighbors said the area is a near a bus stop where parents park their cars and wait for their children.

"We're listing it with the state as an accidental fire caused by a discarded smoking cigarette," he said.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Saturday morning that it authorized federal funds to reimburse costs to fight the Lehigh Acres fire. The state made the request Friday night.

FEMA grant funding may reimburse 75 percent of the costs associated with managing, mitigating and controlling the fires.

“This funding allows Florida to fight these fires and save lives, structures and property,” said FEMA Regional Administrator Gracia Szczech. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to those families who’ve been affected.”

Reisen said it is too soon to guess how much fighting the fire will cost, and fire inspectors had expected to remain on site throughout Saturday, and firefighters would likely remain on the scene Sunday to monitor hot spots.

With a 50 percent chance of rain Saturday afternoon, officials hoped for a deluge.

Scott urged the public to observe conditions and report anything suspicious, saying the community is the most important asset.

"If you see something you think might be a fire, call 911 immediately," Scott said.

News-Press photojournalist Kinfay Moroti contributed to this report.

By the numbers

Here's a look at the Lehigh Acres wildfire that spread Friday night:

1 garage destroyed

2 hours to spread to full strength

4 homes leveled

10 mph winds that fueled the fire

16 automobiles destroyed

75 percent of cost that state could recoup from costs from FEMA grant

400 acres burned

911 number to call if you see something suspicious