A massive grass fire came dangerously close to homes off Century Plaza near Imperial Valley around 3pm Saturday.
"God, I was scared," homeowner Maria Hernandez said.
Hernandez is one of seven neighbors whose homes back up to the wooded area where the fire started.
The heat and flames melted the siding on her house.
"My husband called me. He said, 'Hey the house is burning.' I'm like, 'What?' So we came," she said.
Emergency workers from several departments rushed to the area to tackle the blaze.
"The fire departments' main goal and concern was to protect those homes," said Lt. Dean Hensley with the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office.
Investigators say the fire spread quickly, and the dry grass and timber created by the drought only added fuel to the flames.
"We had about 20 to 25 acres in total that burned," Hensley said.
Fortunately, for the homeowners, the fire only caused minor damage.
"We were blessed," Hernandez said.
The investigation into what caused the fire is ongoing.
"If anybody saw some kids playing, if anybody knows what might have started the fire, give us a call. There could be a reward also," Hensley said.
The homeowners told us they are contacting their insurance companies about the damage.
Firefighters will continue monitoring the area for hot spots.
