COARSEGOLD — Crews were called out to a report of a vegetation fire on Highway 41 at Road 417 just north of the Chevron Gas Station at 2:40 p.m. today.
The first engine on scene reported the fire at about one acre, burning in grass.
A wildland dispatch was called out including engines, water tenders, two air tankers, one helicopter, Air Attack, and two crews out of Mt. Bullion.
Jennifer Massey had just returned home from Fresno when she pulled into her driveway about two hundred feet north of the stop sign at the intersection of Highway 41 and Road 417. Because of the heat, she let her dogs out of the house.
Then, she heard the sirens. Jennifer went online to the CHP website and saw that a fire was listed at Highway 41 and Road 417 and she said, “Holy cow, that’s me!”
Jennifer owns three horses so she immediately went to the barn to start putting their halters on and prepare for the worst. Fortunately as it turned out, evacuation wasn’t necessary.
In the meantime, firefighters were able to get the fire contained. It burned along the west side of Highway 41 from the stoplight to about 500 feet north of Jennifer’s driveway.
By 3:05 p.m. the incident commander canceled the response of any resources not already at scene. Air resources were released to return to their bases.
The fire was contained at 3:11 p.m. at an estimated two acres. No estimate has been given for control. One-way traffic control remains in effect as of 4 p.m., with long backups.
The cause of this fire is under investigation.
