Multiple fires burn in Fresno, causing traffic delays as flames spread along highways
Multiple fires burned during a nearly three-hour span Saturday along Fresno highways, causing traffic backups.
The Fresno Fire Department said it was fighting at least six vegetation fires with fires popping up along Highway 41 from approximately the Ashlan Avenue exit down to Highway 180, and fires along Highway 180 going east to the Clovis Avenue exit, as well as a fire near the Clovis and Butler avenues intersection.
The first fire was reported at 1:47 p.m.
“The geographic spread is pretty wide,” Battalion Chief Kirk Wanless said. “These fires all have occurred within 30 minutes.
“And it’s only June. This is very early in the season. If this was July or August, it would’ve been a much more difficult task.”
By about 5:30 p.m., the fires were extinguished. Wanless said no injuries were sustained from the fires and no structures were damaged.
“Basically ... we burned up a lot of dry grass and vegetation,” Wanless said.
The cause of the fires was under investigation.
But according to a witness who asked to remain anonymous, he saw a man start a fire near Highway 41 and Dakota Avenue.
The first fire appeared to have popped up around 1:47 p.m. near southbound Highway 41 and the McKinley Avenue offramp.
This story was originally published June 4, 2022 at 2:33 PM.
