Suspected arsonist behind 3 Bradford County fires still at large

Investigators in Bradford County are looking for a suspected arsonist who may be responsible for three fires in the same area.

Action News Jax caught up with the family who nearly lost everything when a 162-acre fire burned near Southeast 38th Avenue in Starke on April 27.

Brandi Gatlin said the fire came within feet of her niece’s swing set. She fears what would’ve happened had the wind not shifted.

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“Out of nowhere it just turned, but if it would've stayed that path, we'd have been gone, everything would be gone,” Gatlin said.

“It was like a tornado coming across the woods. And then, everybody was like in a form of panic. And we went around and next thing you know, a little spark came around and caught my brother's barn on fire,” Gatlin added.  “All the gracious neighbors stopped, and we were moving equipment and everything. It was horrible.”

It has been more than three weeks now, and the suspected arsonist is still out there.

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The Florida Forest Service sent a tweet Friday, offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

Action News Jax Reporter Russell Colburn asked Gatlin, "Who would do this?"

“I don't know, but I wish I did,” Gatlin replied.

In all, officials said the fire threatened 10 structures. They said some commercial timber was lost; that's a $70 billion industry in the state of Florida.

“We were lucky,” Gatlin said. “Thank God.”

Cox Media Group