Fire investigators say the improper operation of a lawn mower led to a weekend brush fire on the Central Coast which threatened some buildings.
The Saturday afternoon blaze in Los Alamos burned about six acres of brush, and forced the evacuation of a motel. Santa Barbara County firefighters aided by helicopters controlled the fire in about an hour.
No structures were damaged. Investigators say the fire was caused by someone mowing dried brush with a tractor mower. They’ve cited the operator for operating a mower in dry vegetation, as well as burning property which isn’t their own.
The investigators say it also serves as a warning not to use mowers or weed trimmers with metal blades in dry brush, and to never do it during critical weather conditions.
