PASO ROBLES — At approximately 2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 21, Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services was dispatched to the area of the Niblick Bridge for a vegetation fire.
The first fire engine arrived within approximately five minutes. The initial units found a fire burning within a large dead tree in the riverbed on the south side of Niblick Bridge. The fire was isolated to a large downed tree and burning at a slow rate of spread into the surrounding vegetation, despite windy conditions.
Due to the vegetation management treatments, the first arriving fire engine contained the fire to the dead tree and canceled additional responding units. The fire area had recently been grazed by goats and sheep, which reduced the lighter vegetation that causes fire to spread rapidly, making it difficult to control.
Two fire engines, one squad and one Battalion Chief from Paso Robles responded. Under the City’s automatic and mutual aid agreements, four aircraft, six engines, two dozers, two hand crews, one water tender and a battalion chief responded from cooperating agencies.
