Fire in riverbed shuts down traffic on highway
Firebreak from goats and sheep grazing reportedly kept fire from spreading
Firebreak from goats and sheep grazing reportedly kept fire from spreading–At approximately 4:40 p.m. on Thursday Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services was dispatched to a vegetation fire south of the Niblick Bridge within the Salinas River.
Fire engines arrived at scene within approximately five minutes and discovered a fire burning adjacent to northbound Highway 101. Investigators determined the human-caused fire originated in the river, spread up slope, and impacted Highway 101. The ¾ acre fire shut down northbound traffic on Highway 101 and all railroad traffic for nearly an hour.
The fire held on a firebreak that was recently grazed by goats and sheep. The firebreak kept the fire from spreading across the Salinas River, where it would have impacted commercial businesses and city infrastructure, it also allowed firefighters to quickly access the fires edge and safely fight the fire during dangerous fire weather conditions.
Three fire engines and two Battalion Chief from Paso Robles responded. Under the city’s automatic and mutual aid agreements, one air attack, two tanks, one helicopter, four fire engines, one water tender, one dozer, two hand crews and one Battalion Chief from Cal Fire/SLO County responded.
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