Highway 101 reopens in Windsor after pair of fires, car crash

A cluster of spot fires that erupted alongside Highway 101 in central Windsor on Wednesday drew a large response and temporarily shut the freeway during rush hour, the CHP said.

About seven small vegetation fires ignited about 5:30 p.m. along the southbound lanes near Conde Lane and Shiloh Road, the CHP said. Right around the same time, emergency crews responded to a car crash on the same side of the highway, worsening the traffic situation.

The fires broke out on a hot afternoon during which the National Weather Service had warned of critical fire conditions caused by hot, dry weather and winds topping out at 20 mph. The four-county area was put on notice through early evening, with temperatures in some areas reaching into the upper 90s.

Sonoma County Fire District Battalion Chief Mark Dunn said the fires were most likely started by a malfunctioning vehicle towing a trailer, but it was still under investigation.

At one point the smoke was so thick that fire officials attempted to shut down the entire freeway to avoid more crashes occurring near the fires, Dunn said.

“The car accident was probably a result of the fire and involved a big rig truck crashing into another car,” Dunn said.

There were two minor injuries from the crash but no one was transported to the hospital, he said. No other injuries were reported.

The largest of the spot fires at one point threatened the local business Precision Crane Service, Inc., along Conde Lane. But firefighters were able to beat back the flames before there was any serious damage, Dunn said. The business was closed for the day and no one was on site at the time of the fires.

Crews from six fire agencies responded to the seven brush fires, which were contained in about 45 minutes, according to a dispatcher with Redcom, the county’s fire and emergency dispatch center. Cleanup was expected to take up to two hours.

At least 19 units responded to the fires in Windsor along the highway, and at around ?6:15 p.m. dispatchers said it was mostly contained and the smoke was clearing out. By 9 p.m., fire concerns had abated, and cooler, more humid weather rolled over the coast and spread throughout the North Bay, lowering the risk of a potential fire, Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Walbrun said.

Walbrun said the spot fires in Windsor are a good reminder fire season is well underway.

“We have a long few months ahead of us,” he said.

Temperatures are expected to stay in the 90s in much of the North Bay on Thursday, with a cool down not expected until Saturday, when temperatures will dip to the 80s, the Weather Service reported.

Staff Writer Kevin Fixler contributed to this report. You can reach Staff Writer Alexandria Bordas at 707-521-5337 or alexandria.bordas@pressdemocrat.com.