A passing vehicle is believed to have caused three separate grass fires Thursday along Interstate 80 in Davis.
Davis Fire Department Division Chief Paul Swanson said all three fires were reported simultaneously at 2:12 p.m., charring the vegetation on the freeway’s north side.
One blaze broke out east of the Richards Boulevard offramp and two others west of the exit, burning about an acre in all. Crews from the Davis, UC Davis and Dixon fire departments responded to the scene during the half-hour incident.
“They were consistent with a vehicle causing them,” Swanson said. “There was nothing to indicate they were suspicious.”
No injuries were reported, and Swanson said the flames were stopped before they threatened any of the businesses along West Olive Drive.
Swanson said motorists can help prevent roadside fires by ensuring that their vehicles are in good operating condition, and that there are no loose metal parts that can hit the asphalt, causing sparks to ignite dry areas.