Cal Fire Battalion Chief Ken French and Hollister Fire
Department Chief Fred Cheshire said their crews’ quick response and
the recently plowed, surrounding fields allowed them to make short
work of a acre Park Hill fire first reported at 11:45 a.m.
HOLLISTER
Firefighters made quick work of a 1-acre blaze on Park Hill today.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Ken French and Hollister Fire Department Chief Fred Cheshire said their crews’ quick response and the recently plowed, surrounding fields allowed them to quickly extinguish the fire first reported at 11:45 a.m.
“This one ain’t going anywhere,” French said with an air of satisfaction at the scene, pointing to rolling, disced fields beneath the water towers at the park. “I’m glad to see all these field plowed up so there isn’t a lot of standing dry vegetation.”
Crews continued to spray and rake hot spots as a total of five fire engines from Cal Fire, the San Benito County Fire Department, and the Hollister Fire Department remained in strategic locations on the boundary of the smoldering acre.
“We’re still mopping it up and making sure it is 100 percent contained,” said Cheshire as he surveyed the firefighters before turning to greet French who was walking up the road.
“You didn’t think you were going to get through a fire season without a Park Hill fire did you?” laughed French, who then explained to the Free Lance that there is at least one every year on the dry slopes.
“They used to start up at the homeless camps, but a lot of different things can cause a fire in these conditions,” summarized Cheshire.
