Numerous Homes Saved From Vegetation Fire In Southwest Santa Rosa

SANTA ROSA, CA — A fire spread from an abandoned home to vegetation Monday afternoon in southwest Santa Rosa but crews quickly got the upper hand and prevented the blaze from spreading to nearby homes and a high school.

The fire was reported at 1:15 p.m. at an abandoned home at 2872 Stony Point Road; the first fire department unit arrived on scene in just under 5 minutes to find the structure well involved in fire, with flames spreading to the vegetation, according to Santa Rosa Fire Department Battalion Chief Matthew Gloeckner.

"The vegetation fire was burning north through a grassy field towards homes along Muledeer Ln. Elsie Allen High School bordered the fire to the east," Gloeckner said.

As firefighters attacked the vegetation blaze, additional mobile attack units were directed to the homes off Muledeer to protect them from the encroaching fire.

Numerous fences to the rear of the homes on Muledeer Lane were damaged by the fire but firefighters extinguished the flames before they could damage any structures in that neighborhood, Gloeckner said.

Once the vegetation fire was contained, crews focused their efforts on the abandoned house that had been completely consumed by the fire.

"The remains of the house that were still burning were extinguished," Gloeckner said. "An abandoned travel trailer and shed were also consumed in the fire."

The fire burned a total of 3.34 acres and was contained in approximately 45 minutes.

"Numerous homes were saved along Muledeer Lane due to the quick actions of firefighters," Gloeckner said. "The field that burned was mowed in accordance with Santa Rosa Fire Department Weed Abatement guidelines and this mowing slowed the spread of the fire and prevented significant damage to structures along Muledeer Lane."

While the abandoned home where the fire began is frequented by homeless people, the exact cause of the fire remained under investigation, Gloeckner noted.

The Santa Rosa Fire Department responded to a fire in the same abandoned home in April that was related to homeless activity in the dwelling, Gloeckner said.

Fire department units remained on scene for approximately 5 hours ensuring that the fire was completely extinguished.

There were no injuries or fatalities reported in the fire, and although the smoke from the fire drifted north across the city of Santa Rosa and generated numerous calls to dispatch, no other fires were recorded from the smoke or embers, Gloeckner said.

A total of 44 fire personnel responded, with Santa Rosa Fire receiving assistance from the Sonoma County Fire District, Cal Fire, Gold Ridge Fire District, Sebastopol Fire Department, Rancho Adobe Fire District, PG&E and the Santa Rosa Police Department.