UPDATE 6:16 p.m.: Crews with the Sacramento Fire Department have contained a grass fire that burned 175 acres on the American River Parkway near Cal Expo Thursday. The blazed prompted officials to close the bike trail for evening commuters.
As of 6:24 p.m., crews are mopping up and will continue to clean up through the night. Officials say there are multiple fires still burning within the perimeter of the blaze.
UPDATE 3:15 p.m.: The Sacramento Fire Department is fighting a two-alarm fire between Cal Expo and the American River bike trail Thursday afternoon.
Chris Harvey is with the department. He says the winds moved the fire fairly quickly.
“Along the bike trail there, it’s relatively flat and the fuels are more like shin-high to waist-high fuels,” says Harvey. “But, once the wind started blowing it to the north, it started getting into some of these taller cottonwoods and the star thistle and then the fire really takes off.”
Cal Expo employees and people who live at the stables were evacuated.
Park rangers evacuated the homeless camps in the area.
One person was treated for smoke inhalation.
No cause has been identified. This is the third fire in the area in the last 48 hours.
Firefighters will be mopping up for several hours.
UPDATE: Sacramento Fire officials say the blaze at American River Parkway continues to burn Thursday afternoon.
Helicopters have been unable to drop water close to the fire due to power lines in the area.
Some homeless people living on the parkway have been evacuated. Cal Expo employees and residents nearby have also been evacuated.
Officials say two fires have been started in the area within the last 58 hours.
One person was treated for smoke inhalation.
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