A brush fire started on Interstate 80 Thursday afternoon about three miles above Colfax and menaced Highway 174. A heavy air tanker from Chico drops retardant on the fire. (Photo by John Hart)

A catalytic converter that fell off a vehicle was blamed for a 30-acre fire east of Colfax Thursday that destroyed four buildings and a travel trailer, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries at the blaze, which started at about 12:45 p.m. north of Interstate 80, according to CDF information officer Patty Thalhamer. The identifies of the firefighters and the nature of their injuries weren't immediately available.

About 115 firefighters attacked the fire, which was 90 percent contained by 7 p.m. Six tanker planes that had been at the 5-day-old Emigrant Gap-area fire to the east helped to quickly slow the blaze.

The destroyed buildings were storage facilities near Narrow Gauge Road, between I-80 and the railroad tracks. Along with the travel trailer, the estimated damage cost was $25,000, Thalhamer said.

She said another six homes, three garages and multiple outbuildings valued at about $1 million were spared. The fire delayed traffic along I-80 and Highway 174.

Thalhamer said she didn't know if the motorist who owned the catalytic converter had been located.

[NCCFD responded WT88 to the incident for water supply]

Back to NCCFD in the Newspaper