A Paso Robles vegetation fire threatened homes. What caused it?
Update, Thursday, 9:45 a.m.:
The vegetation fire that burned almost 23 acres on a Paso Robles hillside Wednesday afternoon was human-caused, Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services said on Thursday.
Someone using mowing equipment sparked the fire on a hillside east of Golden Hill Road and Kapareil Lane on Wednesday at about 5:35 p.m., the agency said.
The blaze threatened multiple homes in the area, the fire department said.
The fire burned 22.7 acres without damaging structures or causing injuries.
A total of 48 firefighters from Cal Fire, Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services and Atascadero Fire and Emergency Services responded to the blaze.
Residents should only mow before 10 a.m., the fire department said.
“Although it is still early in the season, vegetation continues to dry and the threat of wildfire remains high,” the news release said.
Original story:
Cal Fire responded to a vegetation fire near a Paso Robles residential neighborhood late Wednesday afternoon.
At around 5:40 p.m., Cal Fire and Paso Robles City Fire and Emergency Services responded to reports of a vegetation fire in the grass near Golden Hill Road and Ardmore Road, according to a post on X from Cal Fire.
As of 6 p.m., the fire had blackened around six to seven acres, with the potential to reach 15 to 20 acres as it burns through light flashy fuels, according to emergency services radio.
Crews were “making good progress” on the blaze as of 6:08 p.m., according to emergency services radio.
Forward progress on the fire was halted at 12 acres at around 6:17 p.m., according to emergency services radio.
Cal Fire advised the public to avoid the area and watch for emergency personnel and equipment in the area.
This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 6:24 PM.
