Fires

The managers of Deer Creek Hills, the open space preserve north of Rancho Murieta, on Thursday delivered a final accounting of the impact of two recent fires: More than 1,100 acres of the preserve burned. The south stretch of the Deer Creek Hills property is being closed for the remainder of the 2017 season, and the fires have impacted the organization’s 2017 budget. Read more » Read more » about Fires scorched 1,100 acres of Deer Creek Hills

[Updated 4:35 p.m.] Two El Dorado Hills men have been arrested and charged with recklessly causing the fire that burned nearly 1,300 acres near Rancho Murieta last week, Cal Fire announced Friday afternoon. Read more » Read more » about Two arrested in fire near Rancho Murieta

[Updated 9:01 a.m.] Firefighters spent six hours overnight battling a vegetation fire that was first reported around 2 a.m. Sunday at Michigan Bar Road off South Shingle Road, in El Dorado County, near the site of last week's fire. It was declared 100 percent contained around 8 a.m., after it burned 236 acres. When firefighters arrived, they reported 200 acres were already in flames. The fire could be seen from Rancho Murieta, about three miles away. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire and Cal Fire worked together on the blaze for a couple of hours before Cal Fire took over. Last week's fire, which burned almost 1,300 acres, was declared 100 percent contained Friday evening. (Photo by Sacramento Metropolitan Fire) Read more » about Second grass fire near RM is doused

The fire near Rancho Murieta this week scorched about 1,300 acres, the majority of it on the Deer Creek Hills property. Click photo for larger image. (Photo by Sacramento Metro Fire)

The fire that burned this week north of Rancho Murieta torched hundreds of acres of oaks and grasslands at the Deer Creek Hills preserve, the Sacramento Valley Conservancy said Friday. Read more » Read more » about Fire took a toll on Deer Creek Hills acreage

Dozens of onlookers gathered at the parking area off Puerto Drive to watch the smoke from the grass fire. That area was later closed off for emergency vehicle access. (Click photo for large image.)

[Updated 8:01 p.m. Thursday] Cal Fire reports that the fire, which had burned almost 1,300 acres, was 90 percent contained.

The fire that burned near Rancho Murieta Wednesday afternoon had consumed about 1,000 acres and was about 40 percent contained at sunset. The fire was burning through open land. Officials reported several hours earlier that no structures had been lost. Read more » Read more » about 1,000-acre fire 'no threat' to Rancho Murieta

[Updated 2:55 p.m.] A grass fire broke out about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday on Alameda Drive between the Country Club parking lot and the Retreats housing development. Firefighters from SacMetro Fire Station 59 and Cal Fire responded to the blaze, which  was quickly brought under control. Cal Fire Capt. John Kirkpatrick estimated damage was contained to an eighth of an acre and said the cause is under investigation. Click photo for larger image. Read more » about Grass fire burns patch near new homes

Starting the week of June 19, the Amador-El Dorado unit of Cal Fire will conduct broadcast burning operations at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center, between Rancho Murieta and Ione. Persons who are sensitive to smoke are requested to contact Cal Fire forester Patrick McDaniel at (530) 647-5288. Read more » about Planned burn near RM later this month

Firefighters work on the ground as a tanker plane drops retardant Sunday afternoon. Click photo for larger image.

A grass fire Sunday afternoon blackened 87 acres west of Stonehouse Road, threatening 20 structures, though none was damaged. A downed power line also cut electrical service to nearly 250 customers, SMUD reported. The fire was under control in about an hour. Read more » Read more » about Fire chars 87 acres near Stonehouse Road

Drivers using the North Gate at lunchtime Saturday encountered the sad sight of a classic car afire. It was a 1931 Model A Ford, owned by Murietan Bob Ferguson. He said a dozen car buffs took a Saturday-morning run to Plymouth for barbecue, and on the way home, after the car ran over a bump at Ione Road, he and his wife started smelling smoke. As they reached the North Gate, he said, flames had erupted from under the rear wheels. Ferguson said he spent 12 years building the car, which he called a total loss. No one was injured in the blaze. Click photo for larger image. Read more » about Fire claims classic car at North Gate

A firefighter walks past the body of a swan that clipped overhead power lines Wednesday about 9 a.m. and dropped to the ground in flames, sparking a grass fire on the south side of Lake Calero. Sacramento Metro Fire responded and quickly contained the blaze. Read more » about Swan causes small Calero grass fire