Two fires keep Sonoma firefighters busy

Two fires in two days kept the Sonoma Valley Fire Authority busy last week. The first call came in at 4:15 a.m. Thursday morning, for smoke at Maxwell Park. Firefighters responded to find a wildfire that was, in the words of Chief Bob Norrbom, “burning for quite a bit before it was discovered. It was late at night and no one was up.” Firefighters from four engines had the blaze under control within about 30 minutes.
The second call came in at 1:20 a.m. Friday morning. Neighbors called about a residence burning in Agua Caliente. Arriving a mere six minutes later, firefighters found the home’s second floor engulfed in flame and the occupants still inside. Bob and Miren Herrschaft awoke to the sound of firefighters breaking glass in the back of the house, got out of bed, and encountered another team of firefighters approaching from the front of the house. Damage to the house and its contents was estimated at over $300,000, but there were no injuries.