OAKLAND — For the second time in two days, Oakland firefighters battled brushfires along Interstate 580.
Just after noon Friday, fire crews were called to a grass fire about an acre-and-a-half in size off Interstate 580 near Keller Avenue and Mountain Blvd.
Minutes later, more crews were assigned, and a total of about 40 firefighters knocked down the blaze in about half an hour, according to Oakland Fire Department spokesman Michael Hunt.
Friday’s fire crept close to apartment homes on the 7500 block of Mountain Blvd., but it did not cause structural damage and there were no injuries, fire officials confirmed.
The fire crews battled the blaze from the freeway, where traffic slowed to a crawl to make room for the firefight, as well as from Mountain Blvd, pouring water and foam on the blaze.
The foam will help suppress the hot areas and keep it from catching fire again, said Battalion Chief Jerome Hathaway.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, he said.
By 1 p.m., the fire was knocked down, but crews remained to put water on hot spots and ensure small spot fires were extinguished.
The fire followed another one Thursday that was just about 200 feet away, also off the 580 freeway near Mountain and Keller.
That fire reached three alarms — meaning it called for more fire crews — mostly out of an abundance of caution, Hunt said. Vegetation fires concern firefighters because they can move closely, and the response is aggressive to ensure they don’t reach people’s homes.
Hunt said this week’s brush fires are a reminder for people to be prepared for fire season.
“As people know, this is somewhat of the new extreme normal,” Hunt said. “People should be concerned. It’s a reminder to not discard cigarettes or other debris that could be an ignition source.”
Fears are also compounded by drought conditions across the state.
State officials reported last week that the Sierra Nevada snowpack’s water content was about 59% of the average for this time of year.
State legislators and Gov. Gavin Newsom are considering a $536-million proposal aimed at preventing and fighting fires in California.
The package is intended to fund forest management projects, create fuel breaks around fire-vulnerable areas and fire-resistant construction. Newsom has called for a total of $1 billion investment in fire prevention and firefighting efforts.
Staff photojournalist Dylan Bouscher contributed reporting.