MELBOURNE, Fla. — Brevard County Fire Rescue spent most of Wednesday battling intense flames as a brush fire spread to 31.6 acres and shut down traffic on John Rodes Boulevard from Eau Gallie to Dow Road.

Firefighters were eventually able to contain the fire, but Dharasena Odom says she still felt the need to check in on her mom nearby.

What You Need To Know

  • Brevard County Fire Rescue spent hours battling a 31.6 acre fire in Melbourne Wednesday.

  • As firefighters worked to contain the big fire, a smaller one started just behind a few homes in the Lamplighters Village subdivision

  • Firefighters were able to put out the fires before they damaged any homes or businesses

  • Florida Forestry Service officials say the fire was completed contained at around 7 p.m.

“When the lord leads you and tells you to do something, do it,” Odom shared.

Odom made her way around traffic to see her mom and shortly after sitting in the living room, her mother noticed something in their backyard.

“She said no Dhari, there’s like more ashes than normal and I was like ‘no mom no there’s not’,” Odom said. “Then I looked outside.”

Flames were approaching her mom’s home outside.

“I immediately turned to her, and I said ‘mom I need you to stay calm,’” Odom recalled.

Odom then called 911, called a friend for prayer and then grabbed her mom’s hose to try to put the flames out herself.

“I was like in the name of Jesus, cease fire, cease fire,” exclaimed Odom.

But soon the flames became more than she could handle, and Odom had to get to safety.

“It came up the fence, and I immediately dropped the hose and I told my mom to back out and she was like ‘I couldn’t get the cat, just leave the door open,’ but I couldn’t do that,” explained Odom.

So, Odom ran into the house, put the cats in their carriers and drove off.

Later, Odom found her mom’s home and surrounded homes were untouched by the fire. It was something Odom says she credits to a higher power.

“If you ever doubted God in your entire life, this is your increase in faith right here,” Odom said. “When you seek God, and you ask him Lord protect me, Lord protect my family, Lord protect Lamplighter Village, God is going to send an army to make sure that happens.” 

Odom feels that if she didn’t come to check on her mother, things could have ended differently.

She says police and firefighters saw her mom’s gutters smoldering, but they were able to quickly put it out.

The Florida Forestry Service says the fire was officially contained at around 7:23pm Wednesday and no damage to any homes or businesses was reported.