CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A fast multiagency response on Saturday afternoon to several small wildland fires prevented them from spreading and reaching nearby homes.
The fires, at the junction of Highway 20 and Highway 53 just east of Clearlake Oaks, were first reported just before 3 p.m. Saturday.
Lake County Fire, Northshore Fire, Mendocino National Forest and Cal Fire were among the fire agencies dispatched to the incident, according to radio reports.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Greg Bertelli said firefighters found three different fires burning on the uphill side to the north of Highway 20.
He said the fires were burning in the footprint of the 2012 Wye Fire.
Some structures were in the way, and at one point early on firefighters had been concerned that evacuations might be necessary, according to reports from the scene.
Bertelli called in Cal Fire air resources to assist with the incident.
Altogether, approximately 2.6 acres burned, according to Bertelli, who said the fires was contained in about a half hour once firefighters got on scene.
Getting a lot of fire resources to the scene quickly was key in stopping the incident from getting much larger, he said.
The fires could quickly have grown, as the wind was hitting a peak of about 10 to 15 miles per hour at that point, Bertelli said.
“That was our main concern to contend with,” he said.
Just before 5 p.m., Bertelli reported that fire units would remain on scene for a few more hours for overhaul.
He said fire investigators were on the way to try to assess the cause.
Highway 20 in the area is open, he said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.