Grass fire erupts near Highway 101 Tuesday evening

Petaluma fire units were called to battle a fire between Petaluma Boulevard and Highway 101.|

Traffic on Highway 101 near Petaluma was brought to a standstill amid the evening rush hour Tuesday as firefighters fought a small grass fire near Petaluma Village Outlet Mall.

The fire, which broke out just before 5 p.m., was mostly under control within an hour but commuters stopped to look at the plumes of smoke that wafted into the sky south of the freeway, said CHP Sgt. John Evans.

“The fire is not impacting the freeway,” he said. “But people are slowing down to look at it and that’s causing delays.”

Evans suggested commuters avoid the freeway and use alternate routes like Petaluma Boulevard South or McDowell Road.

Check back here for more details.

You can reach Staff Writer Elizabeth M.

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