A long-smoldering fire that has been burning in an inaccessible area of marshland in East Contra Costa County flared up again Friday, sparking a vegetation fire off Willow Pass Road and sending clouds of smoke over the area as it moved toward a decommissioned power plant Saturday.
ConFire said the fire was reported in the 700 block of Willow Pass, pushed by winds and fueled by palm trees. Additional units were called in and CalFire was providing air support. The fire is in an uninhabited area.
ConFire said the fire was extinguished Saturday evening after burning about 200 acres. No structures were damaged and there were no injuries. Firefighters will monitor the site through the night to handle numerous hot spots.
A tweet from ConFire showed how thick the smoke was.
ConFire engine company working to stop forward progress of a vegetation fire burning near the 700 block of Willow Pass Road. There are a number of palm trees in the area that are torching off and creating a lot of smoke. #marshic pic.twitter.com/dhtORaoWfe
— Con Fire PIO (@ContraCostaFire) July 9, 2022
The original fire began in late May and burned about 200 acres in the wetlands just north of Bay Point. It burned for about six hours before being brought under control.
The marshland made it difficult for firefighters to use bulldozers to dig a fire break, so Cal Fire helicopters were utilized. The fire has continued to smolder as firefighters kept an eye on it. Winds in the area apparently reignited the fire and pushed it closer inland.
Helicopters have been dropping water on the blaze, which is by Saturday evening was about 50 percent contained.
Check back for updates.
Source: www.mercurynews.com