Dec. 30--A fire sparked by an illegal barbecue Monday night threatened to set ablaze storage buildings on the 2200 block of Cienaga Street in Oceano.
The Five Cities Fire Authority dispatched a total of nine firefighters in two engines and a ladder truck to the scene around 7:10 p.m. following reports of a large tree on fire, according to a department news release.
Firefighters arrived to find a blaze at the base of very large tree adjacent to multiple single-story storage buildings, the release said.
Ground crews doused overhanging branches with water and used hand tools to rake the ground and disperse burning embers at the tree's base. It took additional water and foam suppressant from a second engine to fully extinguish the fire.
Meanwhile, other firefighters accessed the roof of the building closest to the fire, inspected the area for damage and used thermal imaging to ensure temperatures were at safe levels.
There was no evident damage to the storage building or its contents, the release said.
Five Cities Fire investigator Brian Salce was not able Monday night to determine who started the fire, but said the tree has been "a source of shelter for some in years past."
Copyright 2013 - The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
