Vehicle fire ignites brush along I-580 at Altamont Pass

LIVERMORE -- A car fire on westbound I-580 at the Altamont Pass in Livermore triggered a brush fire early Wednesday evening, according to officials.

KPIX 5 meteorologist Paul Heggen tweeted an image from the Highland Peak PG&E camera that showed smoke rising from the area at around 5:30 p.m.

According to reports, authorities said Cal Fire engines had responded to a four-acre vegetation fire that had been started by a car fire on westbound I-580 in the area.

Authorities later confirmed that a car fire east of North Flynn Road on westbound I-580 in Livermore had shut down the right lane. The 511.org Twitter account posted about the fire shortly after 6 p.m.

 The so-called Pass Fire grew to about 66 acres before forward progress was stopped, according to reports. The fire broke out very near to where another brush fire burned over the weekend.

That fire was called in at approximately 1:40 p.m. Sunday and appeared to have been started from a vehicle or some sort of machinery, according to Cal Fire.  

That fire grew to approximately 132 acres and severely impacted Sunday afternoon traffic in the area, authorities said.

• Cal Fire
• Altamont Pass
• Wildfire
• California Wildfires
• Livermore