Brush fire comes within 4 feet of Laurel Bay area home

A 1/4-acre brush fire in Burton came a little too close for comfort to a nearby residence Thursday afternoon, spreading until it was within feet of the home, according to a Burton Fire District news release.

Burton Fire District and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Fire Department put out the fire on Capehart Circle in the Laurel Bay area around 4 p.m., according to the release. Brush and grass were burning in the woods and came within 4 feet of a double-wide mobile home and a shed.

The fire was stopped before it could damage either structure and no one was injured, according to the report. There was some damage to the home’s gas connection, however.

The cause of the fire is undetermined and under investigation.

Burton Fire District has been called to more than 30 brush fires so far in 2017, according to the release. Spring brings with it the unofficial “brush fire season” for firefighters. Spring and summer mean added yard debris which — when combined with hot and dry weather, unsafe burning or smoking material that isn’t properly disposed of — leads to a higher chance that a brush fire could start and spread very quickly, fire district spokesman Dan Byrne said.

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Brush fire comes within 4 feet of Laurel Bay area home."