SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – An early morning brush fire on Friday forced residents to evacuate from an East Bay neighborhood.
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Families in a Pittsburg neighborhood were jolted awake around 2 a.m. by the smell of smoke and the sight of a fast-moving grass fire that was approaching their homes near the Keller Landfill.
The blaze quickly swelled to 200 acres, accelerated by high winds.
"And then the wind brought it back over the hill and that's how it got down this far," said neighbor Paul Gabriel.
The flames have since been extinguished, leaving behind blackened hillsides directly behind many homes.
According to Contra Costa County Fire Protection District spokesperson Joe Ottolini, fortunately, many of these homeowners had already cut a defensible space.
"A few houses, it got within their front yards," he said.
"A lot of homes had abated their weeds," he said. "Which made it easier for us to fight this fire."
The evacuation orders have since been lifted for the neighborhood The fire did not damage any structures and there were no injuries.
The cause remains under investigation but officials say it may be related to human activity – whether that's fireworks or campfires – is not yet known.
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