NICE, Calif. – A four-wheel all-terrain vehicle is believed to be the cause of a Friday afternoon fire in Nice.
The fire, dispatched at around 4:30 p.m., was located on the hillside above Lakeview Drive and Dodge Road, according to Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Steve Hart.
Hart said the fire burned about three to five acres of vegetation, and did not threaten any structures.
Northshore Fire sent Hart, four engines and two medic units, with Cal Fire sending multiple engines, a dozer and aircraft, he said. The US Forest Service also sent resources to the fire.
Firefighters contained the fire after about an hour, he said.
Nice resident Deb Clarke lives near the scene of the fire and witnessed the suppression efforts.
“The good news is my neighbor on the hill caught the blaze and the Northshore firefighters showed up quick,” she said.
Clarke watched as firefighters dug a fire line, cleared downed trees and used a spotter plane and a helicopter with a bucket to drop water on the blaze.
Hart said the fire was attributed to a quad runner, which firefighters found at the scene.
“We still have not been able to find the owner,” he said.
Firefighters were remaining on scene overnight to mop up, Hart said.
Clarke said she's been worried about what she called “the deadly combo of dry grass and motorcycles” for awhile.
“Every time I see them going up the private property trails, I cringe,” she said.
While her stepson is a semi-pro motorcycle racer, sparks that can come from the vehicles are particularly dangerous right now, she said.
Also on Friday evening, a fire was reported in Clearlake Park, although additional information wasn't immediately available.
A third fire, reported just after 7 p.m. in Clover Valley, burned a pump house, Hart said.
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