Vegetation Fire Started Along Walking Patch; Cause Unknown

By Bay City News Service

Fairfield Fire Marshal Morgana Yahnke said Tuesday afternoon that Monday's seven-alarm, 103-acre vegetation fire started along a walking path between a creek and a housing subdivision near Dawson Creek Road.

Fire investigators did not find any signs of matches or cigarettes that could have started the fire at the intersection of Interstate Highway 80 and Interstate Highway 680 in the Cordelia area around 4:10 p.m., Yahnke said.

According to Yahnke, the fire started in the southwest corner of the 103 burned acres.

There was a homeless encampment nearby, but it appears no one has used it for several months, Yahnke said.

There were no reports of suspicious activity before the blaze began, but it's possible someone lit the fire Sunday evening and thought it was out. The fire could have smoldered until it erupted Monday afternoon, Yahnke said.

She said someone also could have started a fire that quickly got out of control on Monday afternoon.

Because there is poison oak in the area, the person who started the fire might currently be suffering from symptoms of poison oak after breathing in smoke from the blaze, Yahnke said.

That person would be experiencing discomfort in the mouth and throat, Yahnke said.

Anyone with information about someone, especially a juvenile, who is suffering from poison oak symptoms is asked to call Yahnke at (707) 428-7550.

Eighty firefighters from surrounding agencies, including Cal Fire, responded to the blaze.

The California Highway Patrol closed the Cordelia Road exit of I-680 until 9:10 p.m. Monday

Fire units left the scene around 11:45 p.m. Monday.