Springtown Brush Fire Extinguished

Livermore, CA — Multiple fires around town have kept Livermore-Pleasanton Fire crews extremely busy the last couple of weeks. On Thursday night, firefighters worked to quickly knock down a small brush fire in the area of Springtown Boulevard and Galloway Street in Livermore, which was reported just after 7:30 p.m.

"The fire was contained within the first 10 minutes and crews remained on scene until 9 p.m. mopping up the remaining hot spots," Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Battalion Chief Michael Miller said.

According to Miller, the blaze burned less than a half of an acre and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Holmes Street was partially closed for about an hour due to limited visibility caused by smoke from the rapidly spreading blaze Monday afternoon.

Fire crews spent hours battling a massive fire in the commercial district that destroyed a Livermore heating, ventilation and air conditioning business Wednesday. The blaze broke out during the early morning hours and fire investigators deemed the blaze suspicious.

A week ago, 130 firefighters worked to contain a fast moving fire that broke out near the Wente Vineyards. The blaze was sparked by a tractor performing week abatement near the Livermore Veterans Affairs Hospital, and burned about 20 acres. The majority of the burned area was inside Sycamore Grove Park, which had to be evacuated and closed.

The firefighters were challenged by heavy fuel, limited vehicle access and rough terrain, including creek beds, narrow bridges and soft soil. Sycamore Grove has since reopened after undergoing a few small repairs.

Related:

• Livermore Fire Late Tuesday Night Deemed Suspicious
• Fire in Arroyo Mocho Creek Extinguished
• Massive Arroyo Fire Leaves Its Mark on Sycamore Grove Park: Dramatic Photos
• Firefighters Gearing Up For Possibly One Of 'Worst Fire Seasons Ever'

In June, firefighters started gearing up for potentially one of 'worst fire seasons ever' following a season of significant rainfall over the winter, thanks to El Nino. The grass and brush that grew tall and lush during the rainy season is now dry, providing ample fuel for wildfires.

"It is important for residents to maintain good general fire safe practices," Joe Testa, Deputy Chief of Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department told Patch. Mowing dried grasses should be done in the morning hours using equipment that has spark arrestors. Outdoor cooking/barbecuing should be done with caution, always attended to and fires turned off and/or extinguished when the cooking is done."

Calfire recommends:

• have multiple evacuation routes planned
• have a family communication plan, including an out-of-state contact
• have an evacuation kit ready

Patch Editor Bea Karnes contributed to this report.

Lead photo courtesy Carolyn Fletcher‎ via Livermore Patch Facebook