A grass fire near the Ukiah Municipal Airport Wednesday afternoon was quickly extinguished, the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority reported.
UVFA Division Chief Kevin Jennings said a man camping in his RV on Norgard Lane was running a generator outside, and the exhaust set the nearby tall, dry grass on fire around 12:45 p.m. Sept. 27.
“He was still there when we arrived and was very apologetic,” said Jennings, adding that law enforcement officers on the scene said they had asked the man to move along previously.
Jennings said two engines and a water tender responded from the UVFA, as well as a Cal Fire engine, and the fire was put out before it grew larger than an acre.
However, he said it serves as an important reminder that it is still fire season, and there is still plenty of dry vegetation that can easily be set on fire.
Jennings said he was surprised to see signs declaring the area city property, and that he planned to investigate whether that was true.
“If so, we need to do a better job of keeping the grass mowed and the trees trimmed,” he said, adding that it is definitely a full-time job keeping the airport property mowed. “They do a good job, but as soon as you get 100 percent of it mowed, you have to turn around and start again.”
