1 week Ago By Richard Bammer
A wind-whipped vegetation fire erupted just before 1 p.m. Friday in a rural area east of Vacaville, burning an estimated 800 to 900 acres by midday before nearing containment.
No one was injured, no evacuations were necessary, and several structures were threatened but none were damaged by midafternoon as multiple Solano County, Cal Fire and other ground crews battled the blaze, Dixon Fire Chief Greg Lewis told The Reporter. Dubbed the Hay Fire because it originated near the Recology Landfill on Hay Road, it sent two massive billowing plumes of white- and beige-colored smoke into the air that could be seen for miles in all directions from Hay, Vanden, North Gate and Leisure Town roads and from Travis Air Force Base and beyond in unincorporated areas of Solano County. Lewis said winds estimated to be 25 to 35 mph, with gusts likely surging to 40 mph, quickly fanned the flames eastward.
“I don’t know if it’s contained, but it looks like they have” it contained, he said, adding that he was on scene at 3 p.m. to provide an assessment.
Besides a crew and equipment from Dixon, Lewis confirmed that crews from the Vacaville and Montezuma fire protection districts, Fairfield, Suisun City, Napa and Contra Costa counties arrived on scene to fight the fire. Cal Fire dispatched an aircraft, a dozer and a crew to assist, he added. “The fire probably started along Hay Road but that’s still under investigation,” said Lewis.
Also on Friday, hundreds of Oakland residents were ordered to evacuate as a fast-spreading fire grew along a hillside and the westbound lanes of Interstate 580 were shut down. Strong winds and dry conditions are expected to increase the risk of wildfire in parts of Northern California tonight and tomorrow, weather forecasters said. The fires come as officials have issued red-flag warning for fire danger across the Golden State until Saturday.
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