LOWER LAKE >> Crews quickly doused a grass fire that threatened several homes in Lower Lake on Monday afternoon.
The Bryant Fire ignited around 2 p.m. in fields between Pebble Road and Bryant Road and began edging south. Originally estimated at 10 acres just minutes after it started, firefighters from the Lake County Fire Protection District and other departments corralled it at approximately 5 acres, according to a scanner report.
For a time the blaze churned through dry grass and oak trees at moderate speed. Firefighters arriving early deployed along Bryant Road for structure protection. Calls went out to air tankers and Cal Fire units.
A helicopter — no. 104 — hit the fire from the air. A strike team was called in an a crew from Konocti Conservation Camp arrived on the scene. In all, 10 engines, two water tenders and two bulldozers joined the fight.
Fire crews were aided greatly by what was described in scanner reports as a canal. The area is bordered by Cache Creek and Copsey Creek.
As teams arrived to blunt forward progress, the fire ran into the feature and stopped. This allowed firefighters to work around the remainder of the line.
The fire was declared contained at 2:55 p.m. and snuffed by 3:30 p.m.
Additional air tankers returned to bases still loaded.
