also: ちかび
noun
fire in the neighborhood; nearby fire
Refers to a fire occurring close to one's home or community, often with a sense of immediate danger.
近火の知らせで、住民はすぐに避難した。
Upon hearing about the fire in the neighborhood, the residents evacuated immediately.
近火で煙が家の中に入ってきた。
Smoke from the nearby fire came into the house.
火事 is a general term for a fire (conflagration), while 近火 specifically means a fire that is nearby.
Compound of 近 (kin, 'near') and 火 (ka, 'fire'). The reading ちかび is a rare kun'yomi variant.