Guy Burning Books Ends Up Burning Down 10 Homes

Backyard Florida fire turns into 400-acre blaze
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 23, 2017 1:29 PM CDT
Guy Burning Books Ends Up Burning Down 10 Homes
Engineer Grant Jones from the Nassau County Fire and Rescue refills his engine with water from a large tank at Bryceville, Fla. Fire Station 60, Wednesday, March 22, 2017, in Bryceville, Fla.   (Bob Self/Florida Times-Union Via AP)

A man burning books in his Florida backyard sparked a wildfire that burned 400 acres and destroyed at least 10 homes in Nassau County, UPI reports. "It was an illegal burn. It was paper. It got away from him," says a Florida Fire Service rep. Dry, windy conditions helped the fire to spread Wednesday afternoon, and 150 residents were ordered to evacuate the area near Bryceville, 20 miles west of Jacksonville. As of Thursday morning, the fire was no longer spreading, but was not expected to be fully contained by the end of the day. The unidentified book burner will be billed for the personnel and equipment needed to fight the fire, and could be held civilly liable for property damage. (More weird crimes stories.)

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