helicopter dropping water
A Cal Fire helicopter drops water on a wildfire June 27. (Courtesy of Sean Miller)

Updated June 27, 2022 at 5:22pm: 90% containment.

A fire burning along Highway 17 was 90% contained at 5:20pm after burning two acres Monday, authorities said.

Cal Fire learned of the blaze near the summit—on the Santa Cruz County side in the Alta Vista Lane area—at 2:25pm.

The flames began to consume grass and wood piles, said Cecile Juliette, a spokesperson for the agency.

A fixed-wing aircraft dropped retardant on the wildfire around 2:50pm, one of at least two planes participating in the response.

planes above the wildfire
Two planes fly above the Vista Fire June 27. (Courtesy of Sean Miller)

And Copter 913, based at a nearby Santa Clara County helipad, completed several water bomb deliveries; it then circled overhead to monitor the slow-spreading blaze.

Cal Fire SCU, Scotts Valley Fire District, Loma Prieta Fire & Rescue, Felton Fire Protection District and California Highway Patrol also responded.

A minor structure was threatened, but was believed to have been saved, fire officials said.

Smoke from the Vista Fire rises above Highway 17. (Courtesy of Sean Miller)

The cause of the incident, called the Vista Fire, was under investigation.

It followed a series of wildfires over the weekend, in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties that Cal Fire’s Copter 913 also helped put out.

(Main photo courtesy of Sean Miller)

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Drew Penner is an award-winning Canadian journalist whose reporting has appeared in the Globe and Mail, Good Times Santa Cruz, Los Angeles Times, Scotts Valley Press Banner, San Diego Union-Tribune, KCRW and the Vancouver Sun. Please send your Los Gatos and Santa Cruz County news tips to [email protected].

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