COARSEGOLD – Firefighters made quick work of a blaze on Wells Road this afternoon, knocking it down and stopping the spread in less than an hour from the time of dispatch.
At about 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, Bill Imrie and his wife saw smoke coming from a property nearby, and called 911.
When firefighters arrived on scene they found the fire burning up the hill in grass and boulders, only a few feet behind a house on Wells Road, just north of Franklin Road.
According to Incident Commander and Cal Fire/Madera County Battalion Chief Matthew Watson, the ignition was electrical in nature.
Just behind the house, there was an electrical box that was badly charred, and the fire appeared to radiate out from that point, right next to a propane tank.
Cal Fire Engines #4254, 4255, 4270, 4275, 4284, 4285, and 4295 responded to the scene, along with Madera County Fire Engine #8 Coarsegold, and two inmate crews from Mount Bullion.
Two air tankers out of Colombia, plus one air attack and one helicopter were called up, but after aerial surveillance of the fire, and quick work by crews on the ground, all air resources returned to base without being utilized for suppression activities.
Dozer #4245 was also dispatched, but was not needed.
Incident Commander Watson estimates the fire was contained at approximately two acres.
No injuries were reported, and no structures damaged.