Downed Power Line Sparks Fire In Rural Yolo County
KNIGHTS LANDING (CBS13) - Firefighters from several agencies rushed to the scene of a fast-moving fire Friday evening after a power line was knocked down by high winds.
The Knights Landing fire in rural Yolo County near Karnak and Reclamation Roads turned out to be difficult to find for the fire crews because the area is so remote.
"This is in the middle of nowhere, no mans land kind of thing," volunteer firefighter Tad Dickerson said.
It was hard to find and hard to access, but it was a fire that crews weren't going to just let burn -- especially with Friday's strong winds.
"The north wind exacerbates the situation," said Dickerson.
The wind was so strong, firefighters say, a PG&E power line got knocked down, which ignited 1.5-mile brush fire that lasted a couple of hours.
"It's just a matter of stopping it, finding some place you can make a fire break," said Dickerson.
A couple hundred yards of downed power line means farmers won't be able to pump water onto their fields until PG&E crews can repair it.
"Once it get's rolling, the wind carries it through the trees and the brush," said Dickerson of the flames.
Counting on several county crews to kick their firefighting back into gear, it's been a few months since they've rolled out the hoses. The fire didn't harm any structures but served as a good refresher and reminder that this season is expected to be a dry one.
"In rural areas getting water out here is the bane of our existence," said Dickerson.
With no water in sight, fire crews had to bring three 5,000-gallon water tenders to get a handle on the fire.
