LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — It takes a special kind of truck in Lehigh Acres to fight brush fires.
Lieutenant Lee Liedtke has been driving brush trucks in Lehigh Acres for 33 years.
"He's my eyes upfront. This is what Lehigh fights fires with," he said, referring to the firefighter standing on the front of the truck as he drove.
The brush truck specifically allows a firefighter to stand at the front and put out the flames. He added that some brush trucks can hold up to 1,000 gallons of water.
Lehigh Acres Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades tagged along with Lt. Liedtek and his crew, who showed her what goes into fighting these common Lehigh fires.
Find out why Lehigh's seeing an increase in brush fires in Lehigh Acres Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades' report below:
"Lehigh has been known for the big brush fires for many many many years, so when we are in season, usually when something comes in and conditions are right, everything I mean, it's all hands on deck," he explained when a brush fire call comes in. "Four-wheel-drive truck design that are made to go into the woods and actually go after the fire and and stop the fire in its tracks."
In 2024, crews responded to 156 brush fires, but 2025's numbers are heating up according to Lehigh Acres Fire Spokesperson Katie Heck.
"This year already, we've responded to just under 50, so considering that...we're just going into really what is gonna be our active season for fires" Heck said. "It is concerning to see that those numbers are already so much higher."
They said there's a few reasons why:
1. The moderate to severe drought. We're still nearly two inches behind normal rainfall.
2. The population boom and the construction that comes with it.
3. Lehigh's layout, houses mixed into over grown brushy areas.
What can you do prevent a brush fire?
"Just for people to start being more aware of what they're doing," Heck said.Fox
Grilling, burning dead brush and garbage, even ATV rides can all start a quickly spreading brush fire if you're not paying attention.
Lehigh Fire said a days worth of rain like what we got last week won't stop the rise in brush fires.
They say we need daily rain to improve conditions.
