Firefighters battle Northern California blaze ignited in Gridley-Biggs Cemetery District
Firefighters have responded to a grass fire that sparked Wednesday near a rural Northern California cemetery.
The Cemetery Fire, named for its proximity to the Gridley-Biggs Cemetery, ignited just after 2 p.m. and quickly charred 25 acres within the first 30 minutes. The fire grew to 50 acres as of 4:30 p.m., according to officials, and is now fully contained.
“Now that the smoke has cleared and we can get better eyes on the fire, the size is estimated at 50 acres,” Cal Fire said in an updated media post. “Crews will continue working to mop up hot spots inside the perimeter for the next couple hours.”
No structures were threatened, according to Cal Fire officials. The fire jumped the Deniz Bros. Lane near Highway 99 within 20 minutes of starting and spread at a moderate rate.
Additional fire engines were requested an hour after the fire’s start.
#CemeteryFire [update] Estimated 25 acres. Crews are conducting a burn operation to remove fuel so it won’t burn again later. pic.twitter.com/c3dR1E4WaL
— CAL FIRE Butte Unit/Butte County Fire Department (@CALFIRE_ButteCo) August 9, 2023
