Fires contained without structure damage
An 11-acre fire burned for roughly six hours Monday north of the Geyserville Avenue exit on Highway 101 near Independence Lane, requiring the effort and work of two dozen engines from around the county to contain it.
The Healdsburg Fire Department was dispatched at 11:09 a.m. after receiving multiple 911 calls. Smoky air in Cloverdale prompted calls and concern as well.
“There were multiple calls from multiple people,” said Jason Boaz, Healdsburg Fire Department chief.
Boaz said the initial report stated there were as many as six individual fires.
“When we got there we saw three distinct fires, each between two and four acres in size,” Boaz said.
The fire, which spread through the grassy meadow, up the hill on the west side of the highway and into the trees, threatened structures, including six or seven homes.
“Some people couldn’t evacuate,” Boaz said.
He cited the work of many helicopters as key to putting the fire out quickly and saving any structures from damage.
“There was a lot of aircraft and they did a really good job,” he said.
Along with the aircraft, Boaz estimates about 24 or 25 fire engines arrived on scene. Cal Fire took command of the situation as Geyserville Fire Protection District, Healdsburg Fire, Windsor Fire Protection District, Rincon Valley Fire Protection District, Santa Rosa Fire Department, Monte Rio Fire Protection District, Graton Fire Department and Cloverdale Fire District all responded to the fire.
“We had about half local government and half Cal Fire working it,” Boaz said.
He said the crew was able to extinguish the fire around 5 p.m., but noted that crews would monitor the site Monday evening and throughout Tuesday to ensure no hot spots creep up and catch fire again.
According to the Cal Fire website, the fire was 100 percent contained by 5:55 p.m. Monday.
