Marin County Fire Depts Resources Stretched, Tested By Wildfire

Dozens of Marin firefighters and two dozen engines have been dispatched to fight blazes across the state, leaving colleagues behind with plenty to do.

A 15-acre wildfire broke out Friday afternoon on a private ranch in West Marin, the third large fire in Marin County in two days.

The fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m. near 10049 Point Reyes-Petaluma Road, the Dolcini ranch in the Nicasio area. Most of the area affected was grassland, although about 10 percent was oaks and timber, said county fire Chief Ken Massucco.

No injuries or damaged structures were reported.

"It started above the ranch houses and burned to the top of the ridge," Massucco said.

Firefighters had the fire surrounded and contained by about 2:30 p.m. The cause was under investigation.

The fire occurred during a "red flag" warning period that was in effect until 8 p.m. Friday because of hot and dry weather.

The wildfire broke out less than a day after a six-acre brush fire off North San Pedro Road at China Camp State Park threatened a building and a herd of horses. No injuries were reported.

On Wednesday afternoon, a three-alarm fire fueled by stiff winds damaged seven apartments at 55 Marinero Circle in the Tiburon hills. No injuries were reported. The fire caused an estimated $2 million in damage.
The Tiburon fire was caused by a malfunctioning fluorescent light fixture in the kitchen of a second-floor apartment.

The Marin blazes came as officials dispatched dozen of firefighters to work fire lines up and down the state amid hot weather and dry conditions.
Twenty-four engines from Marin County, Novato, Ross, Southern Marin, San Rafael, Kentfield, Ross Valley, Corte Madera, Tiburon, Marinwood, Larkspur and Mill Valley were sent to fires in Butte and Santa Cruz counties, county fire spokesman Louis Karlow said.

A strike team, made up of five engines, and a bulldozer and a water-tender were dispatched to the Martin fire, which has prompted evacuations in Bonny Doon, near Santa Cruz.

A state Office of Emergency Services strike team from Ross Valley and Kentfield and a second team from Novato, Ross and Corte Madera were sent to the Humboldt fire, which had burned more than 20,000 acres in Butte County.