Apr 12, 2008 1:33 pm US/Pacific
Smoky Sherman Island Brush Fire Dies Down
SHERMAN ISLAND (CBS 5 / KCBS / AP / BCN) ―
A smoky grass and brush fire burning on Sherman Island in the Suisan Delta died down dramatically on Saturday, according to officials with the Rio Vista Fire Department.
Fire officials said the cool of the early morning helped calm the flames that had erupted on Friday afternoon and left only a thin veil of smoke in the air -- reducing the health risk initially posed.
Firefighters kept a close eye on the remnants of the blaze, but said they still planned to let it burn out by itself. The flames were expected be completely out by day's end Saturday, fire officials said.
On Friday afternoon and evening, the blaze had put up thick, black smoke that was visible across the Delta from Suisun along Highway 4.
Contra Costa County officials issued a health advisory for residents in the Concord, Pittsburg and Antioch areas because of the "hazardous" air conditions from the blaze burning in adjacent Sacramento County.
Firefighters with the Suisun Fire Protection District said the blaze burned in a wildlife refuge in an unpopulated, remote area and emphasized that no human lives of propety were threatened.
Flames were first reported around 1 p.m. Friday and quickly produced some very thick smoke plumes.
High winds carried all that black smoke across from Suisun into Antioch, which created a visual hazard on the freeway and triggered the issuing of the health advisory.
"There is some smoke and ash from this fire drifting into some of the communities in Eastern Contra Costa County, particularly east of Willow Pass. This can be a problem for people with respiratory disease, so we're advising those people to stay inside their homes," said Dr. Wendell Brunner, Public Health Director for Contra Costa County.
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