Daytona Beach brush fire from homeless camp shuts down part of Williamson Boulevard

A fire spread across about 40 acres near the intersection of Williamson Boulevard and Beville Road Thursday night and shut down a section of Williamson, and it was still burning around 10 p.m.

The fire started about 6 p.m., and officials believe the source was an unattended homeless camp, according to Jessica Matthews, deputy fire chief of the Daytona Beach Fire Department. Officials couldn't find anyone in the area.

Local fire departments and the Florida Forest Service responded, and flames could be seen from the Pelican Bay community nearby.

No homes were in danger as of about 8:30 p.m., Matthews said, and no injuries were reported.

The Florida Forest Service responded to the scene and began cutting lines around the fire with their equipment. As of about 9 p.m., the fire was 20% contained, according to Matthews.

The fire started south of Beville Road and was on the west side of Williamson Boulevard. At one point it jumped to the other side of Williamson Boulevard, but crews extinguished that portion of the fire, she said.

Smoke is expected to be visible over the next few days, according to Matthews.

Officials from the Daytona Beach Fire Department, the Daytona Beach Police Department, Volusia County Fire Rescue and the Port Orange Fire Department responded to the scene.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Brush fire from Daytona Beach homeless camp shuts down part of road