Woodward Fire Prompts Evacuation Warning In West Marin

MARIN COUNTY, CA — A wildfire in the Point Reyes National Seashore burned hundreds of acres, prompted an evacuation warning, and sent smoke plumes Tuesday throughout Marin and San Francisco counties.

The blaze, called the Woodward Fire, was reported shortly before 4:30 p.m. just south of the Woodward Trail, a few miles west of the Bear Valley Visitor Center in Olema and about a mile inland from Limantour Beach.

The fire sent smoke across central and southern Marin as strong northerly winds pushed the flames south at a moderate rate of spread, according to Marin County Fire Department Battalion Chief Bret McTigue. The blaze was an estimated 200 acres by 7:30 p.m. but spread rapidly over the next hour as winds increased up to 40 mph, he said.

As of 9 p.m., the fire had burned at least 700 acres and was 0 percent contained, officials said. No structures were in the line of fire and no injuries were reported.

An evacuation warning was issued in coastal sections of West Marin. The warning was directed to people living and visiting west of Shoreline Highway between Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in Olema south to Bolinas, a stretch of about 11.5 miles. The warning area is sparsely populated.

An evacuation center was established at West Marin School in Point Reyes Station.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation, but McTigue said lightning is suspected.

Nearby trails and hiking camps were closed. West Marin residents and visitors were urged to stay off roadways.

The Woodward Fire sparked a day after a 17-acre wildfire burned near Mount Barnabe on the west end of Marin's San Geronimo Valley.