O’NEALS – Just before 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20, firefighters responded to a vegetation fire on My Way near House Ranch Road just off Road 200 between O’Neals and North Fork.
First engine at scene reported 3-5 acres burning in grass and woodlands, with a moderate rate of spread.
Madera County Engines 8, 10, 11, 15, 17 and Water Tender 16 responded, along with Cal Fire Engines 4260, 4270, 4280, 4290, 4361 and 4363, two crews from Mount Bullion, Battalions 4213 and 4216, Sierra National Forest Battalion 18, Transport Dozer 4242 and Westfall Dozer.
Madera County Engines were called up to cover Cal Fire stations whose engines had been dispatched to the fire, including Usona, Ahwahnee and Coarsegold. Water Tender 19 was called up out of the Valley, and Water Tenders 11 and 17 were dispatched just before 10 p.m.
The “My Fire” was just a few parcels to the east of a call-out for a brush pile that had been lit off after the rains last Monday.
Several homes in the area were threatened, and sheriff’s deputies went house-to-house, notifying those residents to be prepared to evacuate if necessary. The notice was cancelled when the fire was contained.
Crews had a hose line around the entire perimeter by 9:07 p.m., and the fire was contained at 9:30 p.m.
Investigators were called to the scene to determine the cause of the fire.
