Spare Air Tanker Needed On Martinez Brush Fire

Cal Fire officials called up a spare air tanker Sunday after a tanker used on a grass and brush fire in Martinez returned to base with landing gear problems, Cal Fire officials said.

The first report of the fire came in at about 10:30 a.m. on Franklin Road, according to Cal Fire. Despite landing gear problems, tanker 86 landed safely at base, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Chris Jurasek said.

“Cal Fire has a spare air tanker, tanker 100, that’s not assigned to a base,” Jurasek said. “If we have an issue with an air tanker they can staff that spare air tanker, like a reserve.”

One structure sustained damage in the eight-acre fire that may have started in the structure, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Brandon Lietzke said.

Firefighters had the fire knocked down at about 11:45 a.m. and no one was injured, Lietzke said.

--Bay City News