Crime & Safety

Grass Fire Burns Seven Acres On Bollinger Canyon Road

Moraga Orinda Fire District and Contra Costa County Fire firefighters battled a large grass fire on Bollinger Canyon Road Monday.

Firefighters are declaring a "large" grass fire in the area of 1100 Bollinger Canyon Road safely under control Monday.

The fire was reported shortly after 8 a.m. and may have been caused by downed power lines in the area, although Moraga Orinda Fire District officials said the precise cause was still under investigation.

Roughly seven acres burned, with morning winds, hilly terrain and limited access hampering firefighting efforts.

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MOFD Emergency Management Coordinator Dennis Rein said 70 firefighters from Moraga, Cal Fire, East Bay Regional Park District and Contra Costa County Fire District personnel were needed to put down the blaze, reported as "contained" at 9:45 a.m.

Units remained on the scene Monday to make sure the fire did not kick up again.

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Rein said there were no injuries or loss of property from the blaze, though residents were kept off of Bollinger Canyon Road to make it easier for fire equipment to navigate the progressively restricted roadway.

No evacuations were necessary, though many Canyon residents contacted Lamorinda Patch to inquire about the fire's direction and ferocity.

"That's the scariest thing about living on a single lane, no outlet, heavily wooded road," said resident Kim Curiel. "Knowing where the smoke is coming from is critical."

Several specially equipped wildland fire units battled the fire as  helicopters, including a snorkel-equipped CDF helicopter, circled the area making water drops. Pilots reported problems finding water to refill their tanks.

Firefighters also had to go around a bridge on Bollinger because it was not rated to handle their weight, further hampering their ability to get to the blaze.


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