EASTPOINT, Fla. (WTXL) - The battle isn't over for firefighters in Franklin County.
State and local officials provided updates Tuesday afternoon on the efforts to contain the fire and how the community is recovering.
The fire is 95 percent contained, covering 820 acres. The Florida Forest Service said a thunderstorm spread embers everywhere, and that made the job tougher for crews on the ground.
Four hundred homes were threatened, particularly those along Wilderness and Ridge roads. Power has been restored to that area, and residents have been cleared to start coming back.
Adam Putnam, the state's Commissioner on Agriculture, took a helicopter tour of the area and said the damage could've been worse if responding agencies and volunteers hadn't stepped in when they did.
Still, he said it's "heartbreaking" to see the devastation to homes, boats and other property.
The fire is still a concern. Forest officials say there are some hotspots, and there are more than 30 personnel dedicated to containing the fire.
They're still investigating the cause. The Forest Service says it could be anything at this point, and the sheriff said he hopes to have an answer by the end of the week.
