Jacksonville, FL — With fire crews making progress on containing a wildfire in western Nassau County, WOKV is learning more about how it all started.
According to the Florida Forest Service, it was an accident.
"This was not malicious intent, it was purely accidental," says Annaleasa Winter with the Florida Forest Service.
Responders are opening roads to residents of the Bryceville wildfire area now. Power in the area has been restored & hotspots being cleared.
— NassauEM (@NassauEM) March 23, 2017
According to Winter, a homeowner was illegally burning household garbage when the fire spread.
She says the man responsible feels terrible and is devastated by what happened, but there will be consequences.
Winter explains, "They'll receive a suppression bill from the state for all the forestry resources that are out here and the fire is still not contained, so that bill is still adding up."
It's not clear how much that bill may ultimately be.
Additionally, we’re told the man is liable civilly for any damage that was caused to anyone else’s property.