As per scanner traffic and the California Highway Patrol Traffic Incident Information page, a vehicle that had caught on fire went off Highway 20 at approximately 4:28 a.m. leading to a vegetation fire “spreading quickly up the hillside.”
At 6:39 a.m., an ambulance was requested to respond to the incident due to a firefighter suffering a leg injury after sliding down a hillside.
The Gulch Incident Commander characterized the fire as 2.5 acres and currently growing at a slow rate of spread. He told dispatch the current foggy conditions are keeping the fire from picking up but said the “conditions could change quickly.”
As per the CHP Traffic Incident Information page, there are currently no lanes of Highway 20 closed due to the incident but Caltrans is expected to close lanes as more fire trucks arrive to the scene. The fire is located off the westbound lane of Highway 20 near mile marker 20.
The Incident Commander requested a fire engine and water tender from either Mendocino Fire or Fort Bragg Fire to respond to the scene and assist with the incident.
UPDATE: 7:11 a.m.
The Incident Commander reported resources are still working on the fire and cannot access the vehicle until the fire is out. He reported to dispatch one lane will be shut down and will likely be shut down through the morning to the afternoon.
UPDATE 8:04 a.m.
As per the California Highway Patrol Traffic Incident Information page, Caltrans has officially initiated one-way traffic control in response to this incident.
UPDATE 9:08 a.m.
As per a Facebook post on the Caltrans District 1 Facebook page, one-way traffic control is in effect 12 miles wst of Willits (Mendocino County) on Route 20 due to a fire.”
This is a developing story. Some things reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene. We will update as the situation develops.
