Collier County neighborhoods on edge as Picayune fire burns near homes

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. (WINK)—Firefighters continue to battle the Picayune brush fire, which remains at 1,700 acres and 70% contained.

The fire has been burning for four days, bringing flames and smoke visible for miles. Char and ash back right up to nearby homes.

• RELATED: WINK News goes into the Picayune Strand State Forest as crews work to contain brush fire

The Collier County Sheriff's Office helicopter dropped buckets of water on the fire. Luckily, the fire did not grow overnight, according to the Forest Service.

Deborah Houk and her four children live in the Azure neighborhood near the fire.

"Yesterday, when I came back home from work and with my children, I saw four police cars stationed here waiting, and I saw two helicopters fly over us to deliver water to the fire," Houk said. "It feels unnerving, but I am reassured by the response that we had."

The Azure community is already taking precautions ahead of a hot, dry weekend as crews continue checking for hotspots. Two miles from the fire, neighbors tell WINK News their community has different plans in place.

"I know that they were talking with our development that they would turn the sprinklers on in the whole development if the fire got any closer to us," Houk said.

Whether you're within a few miles of the fire or just down the street, keeping these areas wet can prevent hotspots in these drier and hotter times.

If you see hotspots, you're asked to report them to the fire department.