'Very scary': Large brush fire causes evacuations, over $300K in damage to service cars

Updated: March 10, 2025

BROOKFIELD, Wis (CBS58) -- On Sunday, a brush fire ripped through an open field on West Capitol Drive near Brookfield Road. It threatened businesses, forced people to evacuate their homes, and took 16 crews nearly five hours to put out the flames. 

According to the Brookfield Fire Department, at least 100 acres were burned Sunday.

Several service vehicles were damaged by the flames, but fortunately, the fire stopped just short of the curb, sparing multiple brand-new vehicles and homes on the other side.

"You get a sense of what areas around the country or the world have been dealing with fires like this, your home being taken away or almost destroyed it was very scary," said Randy Sudah, homeowner.

On Monday, the smell of the fire lingered in the air.

Homeowner Randy Sudah says he was amazed at how quickly the brush fire spread.

"It erupted kind of quickly. My daughter came down. She saw the smoke, and I looked out the window and saw this huge fire. It moved pretty quickly," said Sudah.

Across the open field, the fire was heading toward a Brookfield car dealership.

That's when Austyn Rennhack, the sales manager, got the call while he was sitting at home.

"I got a call from Brookfield Police Department that there was a brush fire around our building and they needed help moving cars so I got down here as fast as I could," said Rennhack.

The fire was so intense it showed up on weather radar.

"I was imagining it being a small fire, probably close to a car, but nothing compared to what I saw everything was on fire," Rennhack explained.

The only damage from the fire were to several service cars parked along the curb.

"We did have five or six cars that were hit by the fire, so we are working on that right now," said Rennhack.

There's no confirmed dollar amount but Rennhack said each service car costs around $60,000.

Catherine Koele with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says chances are high something like this could happen again.

"Spring is wildfire season in Wisconsin. Warmer temperatures, low humidity, and very gusty winds," Koele explained.

Koele says nearly 100% of them are caused by people.

"About 1/3 of those are caused by debris burning which can be easily prevented if folks would just take the time to know what the local fire danger is and any burn restrictions," said Koele.

According to the Brookfield Fire Department, no one was injured and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Learn more about safe debris burning practices here.

Published: March 9, 2025

BROOKFIELD, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Multiple fire crews responded to a brush fire in Brookfield on Sunday, March 9. 

The City of Brookfield Fire Department said they got the call around 1:40 p.m. The fire started in a marsh behind Soerens Ford. It spread from Brookfield Rd. west to the Fox River, from Capitol Dr. north to Compton Ln. 

Homes on Chapel Hill Drive and Compton Lane were evacuated as a precaution. 

"I saw homeowners grabbing dogs, cats, quick little belongings, getting in cars and driving out," said AJ Henry, who witnessed the fire. “The way the wind was, and the way the fire was blowing, it was coming right at these houses, which is unfortunate, because it’s a very nice neighborhood, for sure."

The fire was extinguished by 6:15 p.m. The fire required around 16 different fire departments to put it out. No one was hurt. 

The City of Brookfield Fire Department put out some information hours before the fire broke out, making sure people are aware of the possibility of these conditions: