A firefighter from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection responds to a grass fire Wednesday off of Highway 20. (Photo by David Mirhadi)
A fire that investigators say may have been caused by a motorist's blown engine burned 11/2 acres and tied up westbound traffic on Highway 20 for 30 minutes Wednesday.
No injuries were reported in the incident, said Don Gannon of the Rough and Ready Volunteer Fire Department, one of several agencies called to douse the 3 p.m. blaze just east of Penn Valley Drive.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the engine of a westbound pickup apparently blew, sending sparks onto the north side of the highway and igniting a blaze near Mushroom Trail, Gannon said.
Gannon said the fire may also have been started when a westbound logging truck back-fired, and that the cause may never be determined.
Penn Valley, Nevada County Consolidated and Higgins fire departments also responded to the blaze, which was contained minutes after it began.
Gannon said the Mushroom Trail acted as a fire break, helping to contain the blaze.
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