Two fires affect Stanford community
The fire has charred approximately 128 acres in the Stanford foothills, according to the Palo Alto Fire Department. Above, the blaze is seen behind the outdoor sculpture Makin' Hay, by Tom Otterness, near the corner of Stanford Avenue and Junipero Serra Boulevard.
Two fires — a brushfire in the Stanford foothills near campus and a larger wildfire near the Stanford Sierra Camp at Fallen Leaf Lake — have affected the Stanford community over the past 48 hours. No injuries or damage to university buildings have been reported in either fire.
[Update: As of Tuesday, the Dish trail remains closed.]
A brushfire that broke out Monday afternoon in the Stanford foothills near Page Mill Road and Junipero Serra Boulevard has burned roughly 128 acres, according to Barbara Cimino, a spokeswoman for the Palo Alto Fire Department. No injuries were reported. The fire was 95 percent contained at about 7:30 p.m., Cimino said.
No homes or other structures in the area were “immediately threatened," she added. Firefighters suspect a malfunctioning generator may have been the source of the blaze.
Meanwhile, the Angora Fire which began in the area west of South Lake Tahoe Sunday afternoon made incursions into the Fallen Leaf basin near Stanford Sierra Camp. Firefighters extinguished those flames overnight. Stanford Sierra Camp guests and staff were safely evacuated yesterday in compliance with sheriff's instructions.
This week's Sierra Camp program has been canceled, and those who evacuated will receive a full refund. Evacuated staff members will be housed at Northstar at Tahoe until they are able to return to camp.
Sierra Camp COO Dave Bunnett, '83, and seven staff members remain at camp to protect it from fire damage, but are under instructions to board motor boats and proceed into the center of Fallen Leaf Lake should the fire progress and threaten their safety.
As of Monday morning, the Angora Fire was 5 to 10 percent contained. According to news reports, flames have destroyed 220 homes and consumed more than 2,500 acres. Weather conditions today are expected to be favorable for fire crews. This site will be updated as more information becomes available.
