Crews battle growing brush fire near Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs

Firefighters are battling a brush fire near Bonita Beach Road and Tower Road in Bonita Springs on Monday. According to the Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District, crews responded around 2:30 p.m. after a resident reported they heard thunder and saw flames in the area. The fire district said fire initially covered 0.5 acres and has continued to grow. The Florida Forest Service said the fire is an estimated five acres and 0% contained as of 3:54 p.m. The Florida Forest Service has dozers responding to construct fire lines around the area to surround and contain the fire, according to the district. Crews will remain on scene until the fire is extinguished and the area is safe, the district said. In addition, the fire district asks people to avoid the area to give emergency crews room to work on the fire. Gulf Coast News has reached out to the fire district and FFS for more information. Count on Gulf Coast News to keep you updated. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.