MODESTO, Calif. -- Firefighters contained a 20-acre vegetation blaze in the area between the Seventh and Ninth Street bridges in Modesto on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire broke out about 2:10 p.m., and fueled by heavy winds, burned for about an hour, sending heavy smoke south of town.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or structures involved, according to Sean Slamon, division chief of operations for the Modesto Regional Fire Authority.
By 3:30 p.m., firefighters were reported to be in the "mop-up" stages.
Fanning the flames were winds averaging 15 mph, one of the reasons Slamon termed the containment as "shaky" about 40 minutes after it started.
Investigators don't know the cause.
One lane of Ninth Street was shut down as fire crews from several agencies worked the blaze.
Copyright 2012 - The Modesto Bee, Calif.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
