Los Angeles Times

Fire breaks out on Bay Area hill

- By Colleen Shalby

A brush fire that erupted Friday afternoon on Sign Hill in South San Francisco, prompting evacuation orders for the surroundin­g area, was contained about two hours later, but officials warned it was too early for residents to return to their homes.

The South San Francisco Fire Department in San Mateo County called it a “fouralarm f ire,” and video of the blaze posted shortly before 1 p. m. showed massive plumes of smoke and orange f lames, with tightly packed houses not far away.

Within a half- hour, evacuation­s were ordered at Carnelian Road, Sonja Road, Mountain Road, Ridgeview Court and Viewmont Terrace — the area just outside Sign Hill Park where the f ire appears to have started.

The f ire could be seen burning near the “South San Francisco the Industrial City” sign that adorns the hillside. The blaze was also visible from San Francisco Internatio­nal Airport.

Firefighti­ng planes swooped low to drop pink retardant on the brush f ire, and officials warned that drones were interferin­g with some of the aerial efforts.

“Safety is our No. 1 priority. Please help us keep everyone safe by keeping your drones away from this incident,” Fire Chief Jess Magallanes said in a message shared on Twitter.

The blaze broke out amid a red f lag warning for a wide swath of Northern California, including the Bay Area. Dry, gusty winds and excessive heat were combining for critical f ire conditions, the National Weather Service said. The warning was extended through Saturday morning and included the North Bay Mountains and East Bay Hills.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States