Cal Fire investigating suspicious spot fires along Highway 299 in Shasta County
Cal Fire officials are investigating two groups of suspicious small spot fires that burned vegetation along a highway last week and again Monday night in Shasta County.
The small fires are considered suspicious and are a concern for firefighters because both groups of fires occurred within a few miles of each other along Highway 299 near the small town of Burney, said Cheryl Buliavac, a spokeswoman for the Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit.
The first fires were reported in the early morning hours of April 15. Buliavac said four small spot fires burned in the area of Johnson Park, just east of Burney.
The second group of fires were reported Monday night in the Sierra Pacific Industries area, just west of Burney. Buliavac said seven small spot fires burned vegetation there.
She said both groups of fires were put out quickly by firefighters. No injuries were reported.
Investigators with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection had not determined the cause of the fires. Buliavac said while the fires are suspicious, there could be “myriad” reasons why small fires were sparked along a highway, including vehicle or equipment mechanical failure.
She said these type of fires are particularly concerning, because there is already a lot of dry vegetation that provide enough fuel for a rapidly-spreading wildfire.
Investigators asked anyone with information on the suspicious fires to call fire prevention officials at Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit. Cal Fire also has an arson hotline for all other suspicious fires at 530-225-2418
