Riding Mower To Blame For Wallace Fire

Fire in Wallace showing riding lawn mower that ignited the blaze—CCF photo

Wallace, CA — Calaveras Consolidated Fire (CCF) officials report that a lawn mower is responsible for a blaze in Wallace yesterday afternoon and remind the public that such equipment should only be used on green grass.

As we reported here during the noon hour on Friday (6/20), firefighters responded to a vegetation fire on Whalen Road, north of Highway 12. It took crews just minutes to contain the spot fire at a 50-by-50-foot spot.

“The cause of the fire was determined to have started by a riding mower,” update CCF.

They remind the public of these recommendations:

• Mow dry grass before 10 a.m. and avoiding it entirely on hot, dry, and windy days due to the risk of sparks igniting a fire.
• String trimmers are considered safer than lawnmowers for clearing dry vegetation; lawnmowers should only be used on green lawns.
• Always maintain a defensible space around your home by clearing dead vegetation and maintaining a maximum height of 4 inches for annual grasses.