Neighbors, Firefighters Turn Back Fast-Moving Garden Highway Fire
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Flames raced quickly toward homes on Tuesday as firefighters tried to contain four quickly moving grass fires along Garden Highway.
Firefighters were in mop-up mode well into the night as crews work to strengthen containment lines and chop down tall trees that burned earlier in the day.
Adan Cervantes jumped into action to help save his apartment complex near Truxel Road.
"It first started up there and then all of a sudden we saw the little playground catch fire," he said. "I jumped over the fence and started hosing it down. Other people followed."
Neighbors strung several hoses to douse the flames while others grabbed nearby fire extinguishers as the fire jumped the road and headed straight for them.
"I started banging on doors telling everybody to come on out..we gotta a fire that we need to fight," said Jim Von Eschen.
The fast-moving fire was fueled by thick brush and tall trees near the American River.
"Warm weather, low humidity, obviously we have some wind today so it was pushing the fire northward here across the highway," said Chris Harvey with the Sacramento Fire Department.
He says the homes were saved thanks to a ring of defensible space and some good teamwork.
"This has been mowed and tilled so the grass was low and they also have the green belt which is all of their lawns," he said.
No structures were damaged and nobody was injured.
Two people were detained for questioning, but not arrested. The cause is still under investigation.