HOPLAND — Firefighters are battling Tuesday afternoon at the scene of a vegetation fire east of Hopland that started at 1:30 p.m. and had grown to 30 acres less than an hour later, according to CAL FIRE.
Structures are threatened as the fire — dubbed the Pratt Fire — spread aggressively off of Pratt Ranch Road at Highway 175, near the Sho Ka Wah Casino, according to CAL FIRE spokeswoman Julie Cooley. She said the fire had a potential size of 200 acres.
“It”s blowing spot fires out ahead of the main fire,” Cooley said.
At 2:25 p.m., fire authorities were heard on the scanner asking for the five closest engines to respond to the blaze. The casino was evacuated briefly before patrons and employees were allowed back in.
The fire had grown to between 40 and 50 acres as firefighters started to get the upper hand, Cooley reported at 2:55 p.m.
“We”re making good progress,” she said. “(The fire) is boxed in with fire retardant.” She did not know how many tankers were responding to the blaze.
