Grass Fire Along I-580 Near Altamont Burns 75 Acres in Center Divide

Fire crews have contained a roughly 75-acre grass fire in the center divide of Interstate Highway 580 in Alameda County this afternoon, a Cal Fire official said. California Highway Patrol officers responded to a report of a grassfire in the center divide of the highway at 2:19 p.m. in the vicinity of the North Flynn Road off-ramp, according to the CHP.

Firefighters are still trying to determine what sparked the blaze, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Paul Provence said. High winds made controlling the fire more difficult, Provence said. Fire crews were able to contain the grass fire at 4:30 p.m., he said.

“We do have more of a grass crop than we have had in prior years,” Provence said. “We definitely expect it to be an active fire season.”

No injuries were reported. One lane of traffic on Highway 580 was closed around 2:30 p.m. and as of 4:45 p.m., there was no estimate for when the lane would reopen, according to the CHP.

By Bay City News

Photos courtesy Jennie Unger

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