A fast-moving brush fire near Gateway Drive that charred four
acres Monday is under investigation by the Hollister Fire
Department because of suspicious circumstances.
A fast-moving brush fire near Gateway Drive that charred four acres Monday is under investigation by the Hollister Fire Department because of suspicious circumstances.
Fire officials stopped short of calling the brush fire an act of arson, only saying they needed to complete the investigation before making any conclusions.
The fire, which started at about 2:30 p.m., created a dense cloud of light brown smoke that covered about a half-mile radius around the fire and slowly drifted along San Felipe Road.
Two fire engines from Hollister responded to the blaze about one-half mile west of Tiffany Motor Company. The two engines and 10 firefighters who battled the blaze were all the city had available because several of its firefighters were called out about 15 minutes earlier to help the California Department of Forestry fight a large brush fire up along Pacheco Pass Highway, Fire Chief Bill Garringer said.
“We made a pretty good stop here,” Garringer said.
He said that no one was injured in the fire and that it posed only a minor threat to a nearby farming home.
“We put a stop to this long before it could ever reach that home,” Garringer said.
With the main section of the brush fire extinguished, firefighters combed the charred remains of the hill soaking smoldering hot spots with water.
Once the hot spots were soaked, other firefighters armed with shovels dug and mixed the soil to make sure any smoldering embers did not reignite.
Fire officials refused to speculate on who may be responsible for starting the fire or whether it was accidental or intentional.
Fire officials are asking anyone with information regarding the cause of Monday’s fire or who may be responsible, to call the Hollister Fire Department at 636-4325.
