Caltrans Maintenance Lead Worker Mark Charles (left) and Equipment Operator II Jerry Smith’s quick thinking extinguished a grass fire before it threatened homes in rural Sonora. Photo by District 10 
By Warren Alford
District 10 Public Information Officer
Quick thinking by a pair of Caltrans maintenance workers likely prevented a small fire from doing significant damage this November in the Sonora area.
Caltrans Maintenance Lead Worker, Mark Charles and Equipment Operator, Jerry Smith were busy cleaning culverts on State Route 108 above Sonora near Hess Avenue in preparation for an incoming storm when Smith noticed smoke coming from behind a residence that didn’t look right.
He was also aware that it was not a burn day, making the source even more suspect.
The men moved to get a better look at the source of the smoke and observed a vegetation fire burning near a corral that was heading towards two homes. They did not see anyone standing near the fire and heard no sirens, so they jumped in their vehicle and drove toward the fire to investigate.
Upon arriving at the scene, they realized that this was an out-of-control fire that was threatening homes and that they needed to act to help contain the blaze. Smith grabbed some tools and started cutting a line around the vegetation while Charles dialed 911.
Once the fire authorities were notified, he joined Smith in working to contain the fire, unfurling a garden hose found on site and beginning to hose down the fire perimeter.
CalFire responded to the incident quickly and the two already had the approximate ¼ acre burn area contained to the point that it wasn’t threatening structures, leaving just some mop-up work to contain the blaze.
CalFire Battalion Chief Kevin Patton, who responded to the fire, thanked the pair for their quick thinking, which protected the property.
“It was a good day,” remarked Smith. “It is always cool when you can do something like that”.