Small Fire Fought in Big Way due to Stiff Winds

A cigarette flicked into a planter box was the suspected cause of a small balcony fire at a Novato condominium complex, but the didn't take any chances because of the high winds Friday afternoon.

A second alarm was called and then cancelled for the fire at 302 Seagull Row in the Captain's Landing units just off Redwood Boulevard. The blaze, reported at 3:52 p.m., was just around the corner from Novato Fire's Station 61.

Three engines showed up to the three-story condo as the fire whipped a small section of the outside of the building near the roof, Battalion Chief Gerald McCarthy said. Firefighters had to knock down a door and destroy a section of drywall to put out the fire, added acting Captain Mike Taul. It took 12 minutes to declare the fire under control.

McCarthy said holiday weekend traffic complicated the operation.

"We sent in three engines, and our mutual aid comes from the rest of Marin, so they had to fight through a lot of traffic," he said. "But we had to be cautious. When it's windy like this and the vegetation is dried out, you can't take chances. It's time to get back into the mode where we're thinking about fire season."

McCarthy thanked San Rafael and Marinwood crews for covering the stations.

Taul said the fire burned a section of wall 10 feet by 5 feet plus a deck. He said it appeared that somebody threw a cigarette into a planter of some sort.

According to the fire district's Facebook page, there were six other calls for service within the district's limits at the same time, creating "a super busy afternoon."