Brush Fires Continue To Blaze In Odenton
ODENTON, Md. (WJZ)—Brush fires are still blazing in the woods of Odenton in Anne Arundel County.
Suzanne Collins says firefighters will work through the night to save homes.
The woods are still raging with fire, dangerously circling homes where firefighters fight back to save them.
"A cousin across the street has a barn that was fully engulfed in flames. Went down quickly; fire travelled through the woods. My aunt's house was completely surrounded," said Sue Myers of Odenton.
The embers are mixing with wind gusts, and the fire is restarting over and over in dozens of places. One casualty is an old log cabin.
A two-story log cabin was on the National Register of Historic Places, as a part of the former Belmear Plantation. It was about 200 years old.
"I looked outside and saw smoke coming over the trees," said Karen Whittington of Odenton. "I went running in the house and hollered for my husband."
One hundred firefighters have been on the scene since 11 a.m. Saturday from as far away as the Eastern Shore. The wildfire remained out of control until long after dark.
"Fortunately the fire department, they have been wonderful," Whittington said. "They have saved everyone's houses so far. We're hoping it continues."
Even if their house is safe, some families choose to stay in their cars to keep warm because there is no electricity.
The fire department is keeping all the equipment and firefighters close by until Sunday.
"And they're gonna be patrolling the area but they can't be in all areas at once, so we're asking residents if they see visible fire to please call in," said Captain James Rostek, Anne Arundel County Fire Department. "We will have units there within a matter of minutes."
The families have been helping not only look for embers or flames, but they have helped with metal rakes to break those hot embers apart.
Several vehicles were also destroyed in the Odenton brush fire.
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