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Two boys face charges in brush fire

The boys admitted starting Wednesday's Palm Harbor fire, officials say. Arson is also suspected in Largo fires Thursday.

By KAMEEL STANLEY
Published June 1, 2007

PALM HARBOR - The fire blazed for an hour and a half, took dozens of fire units to extinguish and forced a dozen families to temporarily evacuate their homes.

But after the smoke cleared Wednesday night, officials counted themselves lucky.

Things could've been much worse, Palm Harbor Fire Rescue spokeswoman Elizabeth Monforti said Thursday.

"Because of these dry conditions, it only takes seconds for it to get out of control," she said.

"There was just lots of brush. That, combined with the wind, made it more difficult to put it out yesterday."

Two fire trucks returned to the scene along Lake St. George Drive around 9 a.m. Thursday, after neighbors reported more smoke.

Firefighters found a few hot spots still smoldering in the thick brush.

Police arrested and charged two Palm Harbor juveniles with the felony of willful, malicious or intentional burning of land.

The boys, ages 12 and 13, admitted to starting the fire, officials said. The Times is withholding their names because of their ages.

The incident, officials said, also is a reminder that dry conditions throughout the region are potentially dangerous scene-setters for fires.

"These type of fires don't just happen in the woods," said David Stanton, Largo's assistant fire marshal. "Anytime we don't have rain ... everything's a potential fire."

Stanton's department found that out about 4 p.m. Thursday when it was called out to a small brush fire at the corner of 150th Avenue and 63rd Way.

Acting Largo fire Capt. Joe Horton said arson was suspected.

Monforti said juvenile arson gets worse in the summertime.

"The kids say they're bored," she said. "Most of the time it just gets out of hand."

Kameel Stanley can be reached at kstanley@sptimes.com or 727 445-4158.

[Last modified June 1, 2007, 00:02:55]