Grass Fire Prompts Evacuations at Cal Expo in Sacramento

A four-alarm grass fire erupted in Sacramento on Friday afternoon, prompting evacuations at the Cal Expo fairgrounds, where the city’s Fourth of July fireworks show is scheduled to take place Friday night.

The fire reportedly started shortly after 2 p.m. near Tribute Road and Highway 160. The grass fire was mostly extinguished by about 4:30 p.m., Cal Expo officials told The Sacramento Bee, but crews were still using extreme caution because the blaze was not completely out.

KCRA-TV reports the flames spread quickly along the banks of the American River and eventually carried over onto Cal Expo property.

Gate 12 at Cal Expo was shut down and people were evacuated from the Raging Waters waterpark, along with several other areas of the Cal Expo property.

Fire crews were dealing with erratic winds, the Sacramento Fire Department's Roberto Padilla said. Padilla said, usually, "you don't see these conditions until August or September," KCRA reported.

No injuries have been reported.

A preliminary report indicated the fire had consumed about 40 acres, KCRA reported.

Sacramento's Independence Day Celebration was scheduled to conclude with a fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. at the Miller Lite Grandstand at Cal Expo. As of 5:30 p.m., the fireworks show was still tentatively scheduled to take place, the Sacramento Bee reported.

Raging Waters waterpark was evacuated due to the fire grass fire. (KCRA)
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