Fire breaks out near homes in Penngrove

Dry grass ignited by a lawnmower burst into flames Friday afternoon in Penngrove, destroying two outbuildings and damaging two homes.

An aggressive response by 25 firefighters from four agencies saved six structures threatened by the fire, said Herb Wandel, battalion chief with the Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District.

The two-alarm fire was reported at about 3 p.m. on Oak Street. Firefighters from Rancho Adobe were joined by crews from the Petaluma, Wilmar and Two Rock fire departments.

The flames destroyed a workshop in a barn and a smaller building used for storage, Wandel said. Two homes suffered smoke damage and some charring from embers, he said.

“Had it been a few more minutes, those structures would have been well involved,” he said.

The blaze, which burned just under 2 acres, was caused by a lawnmower that backfired, Wandel said. It is the fourth fire in two weeks started by a lawnmower that Rancho Adobe firefighters have been called to extinguish. Grass should be cut in the morning, when it is still moist from the evening fog, to reduce the risk of fire, he said.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin Fixler at 707-521-5336 or at kevin.fixler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @kfixler.