Latest Ygnacio Valley Road fire knocked down

Firefighters have knocked down a new, two-alarm vegetation fire on Ygnacio Valley Road near Oak Grove Road in Walnut Creek, according to the Contra Costa Fire Protection District.

This is the second of two fires in the vicinity since Friday; more than 200 acres burned starting about 4 p.m. Friday on and around the Lime Ridge Open Space along Ygnacio Valley Road. That blaze was largely contained by late Friday night.

The second fire was called in shortly after noon Saturday. Cal Fire sent a full response, fire officials said on social media. Firefighters were working on full containment late this afternoon.

While county Fire Marshal Robert Marshall said Friday’s fire was caused by a car on Ygnacio Valley Road backfiring and igniting roadside vegetation, he said it isn’t certain what started Saturday’s fire. It is possible embers from the Friday fire blew over and started Saturday’s fire, Marshall said.

The fire Saturday burned grasslands immediately west of where more than 200 acres burned Friday afternoon on and around the Lime Ridge Open Space along Ygnacio Valley Road. That blaze was largely contained by late Friday night.

Ygnacio Valley Road, a key commute route between central and east Contra Costa County, was closed between Oak Grove Road in Walnut Creek and Cowell Road in Concord for about two hours this afternoon. The same stretch of roadway was closed for about four hours Friday, reopening about 8:30 p.m.

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