SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A grass fire is impacting traffic on Business 80 on the lower American River Parkway.
The Sacramento Fire Department said that the fire is near mile marker 4 on the freeway. Drivers can see smoke coming from the area as seen in photos posted by the Sacramento Fire Department on Twitter.
According to Keith Wade with the Sacramento Fire Department, more than 80 firefighters have been called in to get a handle on the fire. There is no good estimate on the fire’s size at this time.
Erratic winds in the area are making things difficult on firefighters, as they are pushing the fire in all directions, Wade said. A lack of fire hydrants in the area is also slowing efforts to extinguish the fire. Water tender vehicles are being utilized to shuttle in the water used to fight the flames.
Wade said crews are starting to get a handle on the situation, but he expects the fight to last several more hours. There have been no reports of injuries and no homes or businesses are under threat of evacuation at this time.
Residents are being asked to avoid the area and Wade is asking drivers to be patient and travel slowly because drift smoke from the fire may impact traffic.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Grass fire burns off lower American River Parkway
2ND FIRE TODAY
A grass fire that popped up behind Costco near Cal Expo Monday morning has been put out.
The fire started near Business 80 and Exposition Boulevard. In a tweet from the Sacramento Fire Department, the one acre fire was in "dense vegetation" near mile marker four along the American River Parkway.
The fire has since been extinguished and crews are mopping up the area.
No injuries were reported and traffic doesn't appear to be impacted by the smoke. The Sacramento Fire Department is investigating how the fire started.
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, 2020 was one of the most severe fire seasons on record as 9,917 wildfires burned 4.2 million acres. Over 9,000 structures were destroyed, and 31 people (civilians and firefighters) were killed.
California also experienced its first "Gigafire" because of the August Complex Fire, burning over 1 million acres by itself. Four of California's top five largest wildfires in state history happened in 2020.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and know your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, visit www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts.
PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.
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