Man cutting metal sparks Healdsburg fire

A property owner who was cutting metal pipes for a fence and gates for goats sparked a fire Tuesday afternoon in the North Fitch Mountain Road area of Healdsburg.

The property owner had recently mowed dry grass on the property and created fire breaks, both of which helped firefighters quickly contain the blaze, Healdsburg Fire Marshal and Division Chief Linda Collister said. She said of the mowing and fence construction during the hot afternoon:

“He had the right intentions but at the wrong time.”

Flames were spreading from the field to houses on a hilltop and a mandatory evacuation was ordered for Sunset and Valley View drives and Benjamin Way in east Healdsburg but was soon canceled.

Firefighters from Cloverdale, Geyserville, Cal Fire, Healdsburg and the Sonoma County Fire District responded to the vegetation fire. The fire was reported around 1:45 p.m.