CA-SCU--San Rafael Hill - 30 acre fire burns on San Rafael Hill

30-acre fire burns on San Rafael Hill:

30-acre fire burns on San Rafael Hill

A Cal Fire aircraft drops fire retardant on a wildfire on the hill above Mission Boulevard in San Rafael on Wednesday.
(IJ photo/Alan Dep)

Joe Wolfcale

A stubborn four-alarm brush fire on San Rafael Hill sent flames hundreds of feet into the air Wednesday night, forcing the evacuation of 50 homes and drawing firefighters from throughout Marin.

The fire, made difficult for ground crews because of the terrain and winds up to 20 mph, burned vigorously up the hill until air tankers from Cal Fire helped slow the blaze. The fire was reported about 7 p.m. and was still burning at 9 p.m. About 30 acres were burned.

The fire devoured the hill famous for disasterous conflagrations. Dozens of people throughout downtown stood in clusters, staring up in shock at the flames. Many chatted animatedly into cell phones, relaying what they saw to those on the other end of the line.

Smoke clogged the downtown streets and traffic slowed as motorists cranned their necks for a better view.

Darla Nagle, a 39-year-old journalism student, watched the scene unfold from Falkirk Cultural Center on Mission Avenue near E Street. She lives a block and a half away. "We were coming back from the East Bay and I was thinking, 'God, that looks close to the condo,'" she said.

Others, like Dave Borloz, a Corte Madera carpenter, were less unnerved as they watched firefighters battle the blaze above from a safe distance. "It doesn't scare me," he said. "I think if there were a fire approaching me, but, like an earthquake, I don't worry about it. If it happens, it happens."

Fire officials have fretted about a massive conflagration that could destroy downtown, and the rest of the city. The City Council on July 2 is poised to pass a comprehensive vegetation management ordinance, which will require homeowners in high-risk fire areas to take specific steps to create fire resistance around their homes.

Residents on Graceland Avenue were among those evacuated. An evacuation center was established at a recreation center on B Street.

The county put in operation the automated emergency notification system to inform residents by phone in the area affected by the fire.

A 35-member strike team from Cal Hire was dispatched to the scene.

San Rafael Police Chief Matthew Odetto said no structures had been damaged and there were no injuries.

There was no information about the cause of the blaze.