After a Sunday afternoon fire threatened several homes in the Oneal community northwest of Athens, residents in one neighborhood are thankful for the area’s volunteer fire departments as well as each other.

The fire was noticed at 1:48 p.m. in a field between Oneal Road, Lapington and Lydia Corey roads.

Shawn Scripps, who was working in his yard at the corner of Lydia Corey and Lapington roads, said he heard popping and crackling before seeing clouds of smoke.

Scripps and his wife, Lora, ran to their neighbor’s backyard and saw 10-foot flames quickly engulfing dry, chest-high sage grass. Shawn Scripps called 911, and the couple started alerting neighbors — some just settling in after church and others taking their afternoon naps.

Several neighbors, including Army veteran Colton Messer and his wife, Keisha, also started banging on neighbors’ doors and fighting the fire with water hoses, shovels and rakes. Other neighbors were busy releasing dogs from pens at the backs of properties.

The fire spread quickly. By the time brush and fire trucks arrived, the flames and smoke were blowing into homeowners’ backyards.

The home of Marine veteran Jim Bertels and his wife, Sharon, took the brunt of the fire, which burned the grass right up to the couple’s home, including up to their full propane tank, then crossed their yard to Lapington Road. The Bertels were out of town visiting family at the time. However, neighbors from every home surrounding the Bertels’ responded to help contain the fire.

Sharon Bertels said she is “thankful for the best neighbors a person could have.”

“We may not visit and talk a lot, but there is always a friendly wave and a, ‘Hi. How are you?’”

Bertels said she found out just how blessed her family is in their community. She said neighbors are always there when needed and will come to your aid if needed.

“We are thankful for you all in our lives,” she said.

Members of the community said they are also thankful for the area’s volunteer fire department.

Owens Volunteer Fire Department’s Teresa Lovell arrived at the scene in her church clothes and dress shoes alongside other volunteers who responded from their homes and churches.

Lovell said responders from Owens, Tanner and Pleasant Grove VFDs helped fight the fire. Forestry Specialist David Bullion with the Alabama Forestry Commission was also on the scene.

“It was great team work,” she said.

Lovell said the fire is a reminder to never leave fires unattended.

“This can and will happen,” she said, adding at least nine structures in the neighborhood could have been lost to Sunday’s fire.

Responders believe the fire started after a brush fire was left unattended at a residence on Oneal Road, and when the wind picked up Sunday, the fire spread.

Several residents believe the fire could have been a “huge disaster” if not for the response of all involved.

“You can’t plan for something like that,” Shawn Scripps said. “That’s the crazy part of it.”

However, Scripps said he will be working on a better safety plan when it comes to protecting his own family and property.

“These fires can happen anywhere,” he said. “We didn’t have time to think, just react.”