Police deputy dies shortly after helping with wildfire evacuations in Florida

CALHOUN COUNTY, Flo. — A Florida constabulary lawman has died successful the enactment of work aft assisting with evacuations owed to a wildfire connected Saturday.

The Calhoun County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Steven Bruner suffered a aesculapian exigency soon aft his displacement ended.

Authorities said Deputy Bruner worked tirelessly helping with evacuations successful the Mossy Pond Community adjacent Miller Road. The sheriff's bureau advised anyone who lives successful the country to evacuate immediately.

The Calhoun County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Steven Bruner died aft assisting with wildfire evacuations connected March 21, 2026.

(Calhoun County Sheriff's Office / FOX Weather)

"To cognize Bruner was to emotion him. He was the benignant of idiosyncratic who would measurement up to assistance anyone without a 2nd thought. Selfless, dedicated and genuinely 1 of a kind," the sheriff's bureau said connected Facebook.

The Mossy Pond Area Wildfire has burned implicit 500 acres, and astatine slightest 12 structures person been impacted, according to exigency absorption officials.

Wildfire spoke chokes the skies implicit Ochopee, Florida, amid the state's worst drought successful 25 years.

(Chris Cote via Storyful / FOX Weather)

The Florida Forest Service has aggregate tractors connected the crushed passim the occurrence country moving to incorporate the fire. Aerial resources, including drones and fixed helping aircraft, are flying implicit the country to show conditions arsenic well.

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Florida is presently experiencing the worst drought they've seen since 2001, according to the FOX Forecast Center. The authorities has been successful a prolonged adust signifier since the 2025 hurricane season.

Some of the worst drought conditions are crossed North Florida and parts of the Panhandle. Florida's occurrence play historically runs from January until the commencement of the rainy play successful June.

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Calhoun County Emergency Management said inferior crews are actively moving to regenerate damaged poles and reconstruct powerfulness passim the area.

The sheriff's bureau is retired successful the assemblage conducting payment checks passim the impacted area. A countywide pain prohibition is successful spot and volition stay successful effect until further notice.

"Rest easy, Deputy Bruner. We person it from here," the sheriff's bureau said.