Fresno County Grass Fires Claim 1,500 Acres
Twelve grass fires that blackened more than 1,500 acres in eastern Fresno County were expected to be contained by 8 a.m. today, a California Department of Forestry spokeswoman said.
People who were evacuated from six houses early Wednesday were allowed to go home and no structures were burned, the spokeswoman said. No injuries were reported.
Air tankers, helicopters and 500 firefighters were building a 2,000-acre circle of fire around the blazes in steep, rocky terrain along Sycamore Road near Coal Springs Rancheria, about 25 miles northeast of Fresno.
Firefighter Bill Richards said an arsonist was suspected of starting the fires shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
