Paso Robles vegetation fire contained, crews remaining on scene Monday

PASO ROBLES, Calif. - Fire crews in Paso Robles continue working in the area Monday, after containing an aggressive vegetation fire on Sunday.

Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services responded to 3200 Sulphur Springs Road at 5:46 pm, about 5 minutes after initial reports of a fire.

The crew reported an acre of thick grass and brush actively burning with a moderate rate of spread.

Under the City’s automatic aid agreement, four fire engines, one battalion chief, a dozer, a water tender, hand crew and a helicopter from CAL FIRE/SLO County also responded. 

Due to the aggressive fire behavior, additional fire engines were requested, including support from Templeton, Atascadero and San Miguel. In total 40 personnel responded to the emergency.

The Paso Robles Police Department, SLO County Sheriff and CHP were also called to assist with traffic and evacuate several homeless camps in the area.

The fire was contained at 6:50 p.m. Crews remained on scene for several more hours due to heavy mop up.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

Crews did have an additional obstacle to deal with during the firefight. A personal drone was being flown in the area, which hampered the response of the helicopter.

Officials want to remind the pubic that firefighting aircraft cannot fly if a drone is in the air.