San Rafael firefighters believe a fallen power line sparked a brush fire that burned about 4,000 square feet of wetlands near the Home Depot on Shoreline Parkway on Wednesday, July 15.
The fire was reported at approximately 4:15 p.m. Crews contained the flames within about 20 minutes, Deputy Chief Robert Sinnott of the San Rafael Fire Department told the Marin Independent Journal. No one was injured, and no buildings were damaged.
Sinnott, who serves as the department's public information officer, said "a fallen power line most likely caused the fire." He did not indicate whether a formal investigation remained open or whether the cause determination was final. It was not immediately clear which utility owns the downed line.
The burned area sits in a marshy zone adjacent to San Rafael Bay in the Canal/Shoreline neighborhood, near the Home Depot parking lot. The wetlands in that stretch of Shoreline Parkway run between the commercial corridor and the bay shoreline. About 4,000 square feet translates to roughly a tenth of an acre.
The San Rafael Fire Department did not issue a press release on the incident as of Wednesday evening. PG&E, which operates overhead power lines throughout Marin County, had not publicly commented on the downed line or confirmed whether it belonged to the utility.
Residents who spot a downed power line should stay at least 35 feet away and call 911. PG&E's emergency line is 1-800-743-5000.




