Watch CBS News

Spread Of Oakland Hills Fires Slowed Thanks To Grazing Goats

OAKLAND ( CBS SF) Two fires in the Oakland hills Thursday night burned around 1.5 acres of land and destroyed a cabin at a Girl Scout camp, according to Oakland fire officials.

Fire officials believe the damage could have been much worse.

The spread of the fires was slowed in part due to the recent use of grazing goats in the area to control vegetation, officials said.

The fires near the 6000 block of Castle Drive was reported around 11:40 p.m. and triggered a second alarm before they were contained around 3:40 a.m., according to fire officials.

No evacuations were ordered, no homes were damaged and no serious injuries were reported, officials said.

The cause remains under investigation, but fireworks have not been ruled out.

Mayor Jean Quan was in the area for a police ride-along when the fires were reported and attended the scene. She praised residents in the area for their active response to the fire.

"This neighborhood has an strong, well-established CORE (Citizens Organized to Respond to Emergencies) group," Quan said in a statement. "They helped us alert neighbors of the potential danger."

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.