SONOMA COUNTY ? A fire ignited about noon Monday near six homes and high tension power lines on the rugged, heavy brush terrain at Pine Flat Road in Sonoma County.
The blaze had consumed about 350 acres with no containment as of 6 p.m. west of Geysers Complex and east of Geyserville, said Stacie McCambridge, CalFire information officer. The fire threatened six residences. The wind was blowing east about 5 mph. Pine Flat Road is closed at Red Winery Road.
The threatened power lines back up Pacific Gas & Electric lines and weren”t supporting customers at the time of the fire, said Jana Morris, PG&E spokeswoman. But the lines could have power running through them.
“The community, employees and safety personnel should treat every line as if it were live,” Morris said.
When power lines come down because something hit them, they usually lose power, Morris said. CalFire dropped retardant along the power lines in order to protect them. More than 400 personnel responded, including CalFire, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, South Lake County Fire, Sonoma County Fire, California Highway Patrol, Sonoma County Roads, PG&E, Sonoma County Sheriff, Geyserville Fire Department and Office of Emergency Services, McCambridge said. Twelve fire crews are fighting the blaze with 12 engines, seven airtankers, four helicopters, 15 dozers and five water tenders.
CalFire is investigating the cause of the fire.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
