A wildland fire broke out in trees and brush flanking northbound Highway 1 north of Buena Vista Drive Monday in Watsonville.
The 1pm blaze sent up massive billows of gray and brown smoke that were visible around Watsonville and drew a heavy response from multiple surrounding fire agencies.
Cal Fire Capt. Nathn Hass said the fire grew to two acres before fire crews stopped forward progress within the first hour. However, based on current fire danger conditions, Cal Fire and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office teamed to evacuate numerous homes in the area, including Trabing Road, an area hit hard by the 2008 Trabing Fire. That blaze destroyed 26 homes and 49 outbuildings, charred 630 acres and led to the mandatory evacuation of 2,000 people.
Hass said firefighters fought the blaze Monday from the ground and from the air with a helicopter dropping water and an air tanker dumping curtains of red fire retardant.
Crews were still on the ground by 4pm knocking out hotspots and with mop-up operations.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Hass added that although the National Weather Service lifted a red flag warning regarding fire danger in the area over the weekend, people still “need to be vigilant about fire dangers because everything is still really hot and dry as we transition out of the standard fire season to wetter, colder weather.”
The CHP also assisted with closing the northbound lanes of Highway 1, diverting traffic to Airport Boulevard for more than an hour, Cal Fire spokesman Celile Juliette said.
All evacuation orders had been lifted just after 4pm, and the highway had been reopened.
