Crime & Safety
Bradford Island Fire: Officials To Flood Island To Douse Blaze
An estimated 15-25 people live on the island and the fire district helped three people evacuate via ferry boat.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Bradford Island will be flooded to put out a brush fire that started early Monday morning on what is a reclaimed peat wetland in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
The fire was reported at about 1:30 a.m. on the 2,100-acre island, according to the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District and prompted some evacuations. As of 5 a.m. the fire had burned 212 acres and two structures, but no injuries were reported.
An estimated 15-25 people live on the island and the fire district helped three people evacuate via ferry boat, said Fire Marshal Steve Aubert.
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Aubert said Bradford Island Reclamation District officials plan to halt their pumps and flood the island to put out the blaze. Most of the homes are on stilts.
The island is outside any fire district's jurisdiction and fire officials are letting the blaze burn since it's surrounded by water. Firefighters will respond in life-threatening cases, Aubert said.
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In July 2010, a fire burned or smoldered for nearly a week on the island.
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