Vegetation fire in Fairfield causes blackout in Vacaville
(Photo courtesy Fairfield Fire Department; Graphic by Solano NewsNet)
More than 600 Pacific Gas & Electric customers were left without electricity on one of the hottest days of the year.
The blackout was caused by a grass fire that burned a utility pole near the intersection of Vanden Road and Canon Road early Monday morning.
The fire broke out in a grassy field near the rural Solano County road and quickly burned toward the railroad tracks in the area.
Crews were able to contain the fire Monday afternoon. It briefly re-kindled Tuesday morning where it burned another acre of grass before it was contained once again, fire officials said.
The first fire and subsequent blackout occurred during an Excessive Heat Warning when temperatures were forecast to be well over 100 degrees in Vacaville and Fairfield.
Utility crews raced to restore power to several neighborhoods and businesses in Vacaville, though full restoration was not completed until around 3 a.m., according to some affected residents.
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