A Petaluma grass fire along Highway 101 at the start of Monday afternoon’s commute that tied up traffic in both directions started with a cigarette, a Petaluma fire official said Tuesday.
A woman called for help about 3:20 p.m. saying her cigarette had sparked a fire she couldn’t put out, said Petaluma fire Battalion Chief Jeff Schach. She was calling from a bike path near the highway just north of Washington Street.
The fire was stopped at about one acre. Firefighters reached the flames from the highway and blocked the slow lane with equipment. Heavy smoke drifted across the highway, adding to the slow-down from the blocked lane.
Flames began to move into a stand of redwood trees, a great concern to firefighters, as they then can quickly torch the tall trees and spread burning embers to nearby homes.