Spot news is quirky, you can go weeks or even months with little or no action and then over a week or two it seems like everything is on fire around town. Today had me running to just beyond city limits for a compost fire.
Afternoon winds fueled the blaze which swept from one pile to the next igniting the compost and sending a thick column of smoke across Sugar Road and over Tracy. I parked across the street and had to hike into the fire scene again. This time I made sure to stay clear of the blowing smoke.
Over the scanner I could hear firefighters working to contain the blaze as embers jumped across the rows fanned by the winds. Three engine companies, two water tenders, reserve crews and the compost company's water trucks worked to break down the burning piles and smother the flames.
The fire department said the fire could last anywhere from several hours to a few days. Until then residents will be able to savor the odor coming from the burning piles as the smoke drifts south over town.
