Hecker Pass Hwy Fire Knocks Out Power To 600

GILROY, CA – A vegetation fire closed Hecker Pass Highway in Gilroy in both directions for several hours on Tuesday due to a large tree limb falling on PG&E power lines, according to police.

The Gilroy Fire Department, along with multiple other agencies such as the San Jose Fire Department and the Morgan Hill Fire Department, worked near the 2200 block of Hecker Pass Highway in order to extinguish the
fire that sparked around 2:40 p.m.

Gilroy police Sgt. Jason Smith said the other departments came in, as well as Cal Fire, for a mutual aid response while police helped PG&E establish a perimeter around the area.

The fire was declared controlled at 5:40 p.m. At that time, the area remained closed while PG&E worked on restoring power they had to cut for safety purposes.

At least 10 PG&E workers were on scene minutes after it was reported, spokeswoman Mayra Tostado said.

The tree limb had knocked out power to 592 customers, as well as setting fire to greenery. Tostado said that 500 customers had power by 5:27 p.m., but the 92 served by the specific power line that was disabled did not
have power until 5:50 a.m. today.

Tostado said crews had left and reopened the highway in both directions by 4 to 4:30 a.m. today.

The highway was closed approximately a half-mile west of Santa Teresa Boulevard, police said. Smith said the fire burned about an acre.

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