Residents briefly shelter in place as fire burns hillside near SLO neighborhood
Firefighters battled a vegetation fire on Terrace Hill on Thursday morning to prevent it from spreading into nearby neighborhoods in San Luis Obispo.
The fire was first reported at about 9:13 a.m. on Terrace Hill near Pauline Way, according to the emergency response app PulsePoint.
The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department arrived first, and they found a 1-acre fire burning in the grass with a moderate rate of spread at about 9:24 a.m., according to WatchDuty. Cal Fire arrived next to provide backup.
The blaze originally threatened nearby homes, but no evacuations were needed. A condominium briefly sheltered in place, San Luis Obispo City Fire Department emergency manager Joe Little said.
Some residents stood in their yards to watch the blaze, while others living closer to the fire pulled out garden hoses to dampen their backyards. The fire burned up to the back fences of some houses.
More than a dozen firefighters stood on Terrace Hill, spraying the blaze with hoses. Water rolled down the hill into the neighborhood.
About 30 total firefighters responded to the blaze, Little said.
By 10 a.m., forward progress of the fire was stopped at about 2.5 acres, and the shelter in place order was released, he said.
The blaze didn’t cause any injuries or property damage, he said.
Firefighters will remain on the scene for a few hours to ensure the fire is extinguished and that the area is safe, Little said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
This story was originally published July 16, 2026 at 10:12 AM.
