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Residents evacuated during Hernando fire can return home

News Channel 8 photo by INDIRA LEVINE

The fire still is not contained, but evacuated residents have been allowed to return to their homes.

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By SAMARA SODOS and TED JACKOVICS

slsodos@wfla.com, tjackovics@tampatrib.com

Published: June 18, 2009

Updated: 06/18/2009 10:47 pm

About 20 homes and the Bayport Inn Restaurant in the middle of a western Hernando County residential area were evacuated Thursday as winds up to 30 mph spread a brush fire across 750 acres of land.

No structures were damaged as of Thursday night except for power poles, said Dave Fogler of the state Division of Forestry.

"Between the Hernando County Fire Department and our helicopter, we saved the Bayport Inn," Fogler said.

Hernando County Fire Rescue on Thursday night issued a smoke advisory for residents in the area of Pine Island south to Hernando Beach that could last through Friday.

Officials said residents with respiratory conditions should remain indoors and take necessary precautions to avoid exposure to the smoke.

Roads in the Pine Island and Bayport area are open to local residential traffic only. All other motorists should avoid the area.

On Thursday, most evacuees stood in an area a mile from the restaurant until they were allowed to return to their homes about 9 p.m., authorities said.

Weather played a major role in the fire with dry conditions from two weeks without rain, Fogler said.

Crews expected to monitor the fire all night and possibly into Saturday.

Peter Giannakopoulos, owner of The Bayport Inn, was told to leave his restaurant in the afternoon, and all the employees were gathered on the side of the road on Cortez Boulevard while firefighters worked the fire.

"It was very emotional,'' Giannakopoulos said. "My mother is sick. She lives with us in the hotel in the back of the restaurant and that was the hard part. We got a little panicky."

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