ST. LUCIE WEST — St. Lucie County Fire Rescue officials contained a half-acre brush fire that threatened about three homes Wednesday evening near California Boulevard and Beard Street.

No homes were damaged in the fire that began about 5 p.m. and was out by about 5:30 p.m., but two people were treated on the scene for minor smoke inhalation after using garden hoses to fight the fire, said Fire Rescue spokeswoman Catherine Chaney.

Also, a fence at one of the homes was charred by the flames, she said.

People who live in the area left their homes voluntarily to avoid the fire, Chaney said.

“The fire department has it knocked down,” said Melissa Yunas, State Division of Forestry spokeswoman. “It came right up to a fence line and right up to a house.”

The wind blew embers — which could have allowed the fire to spread — out of the fire four to five times.

U.S. Army Private Nathanael Dinsmore was visiting a home in the 1400 block of California while on leave from the military when he noticed the fire. Dinsmore, still in uniform, grabbed a garden hose and helped put out the embers.

“Burning embers were popping up and getting blown around by the wind,” said Dinsmore, who is from Port St. Lucie.

Yunas credited quick action by Fire Rescue to being able to get the fire under control without damage to homes.

Fire Rescue Chief Dana Beach said the cause of the fire is “suspicious but undetermined.”

By James Kirley, TCPalm.com