Roads to Neighborhood Burned in Pacifica Fire Reopen

By Bay City News Service:

Roads have reopened and a Pacifica neighborhood is getting back to normal after a six-alarm vegetation fire forced the evacuation of about 80 homes early Monday morning, fire officials said.

The blaze was reported at about 3:34 a.m. and spread to about 10 acres of hilly, steep terrain around Fassler Avenue, according to the North County Fire Authority.

Arriving fire crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from wildland behind one home on Fassler Avenue. More firefighters and equipment were requested and Pacifica police helped evacuate residents from the area.

About 90 residents were evacuated and about 55 of them took refuge in the Pacifica Community Center at 540 Crespi Drive, fire officials said.

Despite the challenges of the steep terrain, lack of daylight, and windy conditions, firefighters managed to control the fire without any houses being damaged, fire officials said.

The fire was controlled at about 8 a.m. and the evacuation order was lifted. However, residents had to walk to their homes because roads remained closed while firefighters stayed on scene making sure that the burned vegetation didn’t re-ignite, fire officials said.

Fassler Avenue finally reopened shortly before 4 p.m., according to police.

No firefighters or civilians were injured, however some firefighters were evaluated for exposure to poison oak, according to the fire department.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

(Image via Shutterstock)