Fire breaks out in northwest Merced backyard

Firefighters responded to a blaze in a northwest Merced neighborhood Friday.

According to Jeremy Rahn, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection battalion chief, firefighters were dispatched to the Crestview Drive home at 1:10 pm. and arrived to find an outbuilding on fire.

Neighbors had alerted the homeowner, an older woman, who was able to get out of the house. Firefighters confined the blaze to the coop and surrounding grassy area.

Rahn noted that the dry grass surrounding the area, due to the drought, fueled the fast-moving fire. He said firefighters would be on scene for about four hours to ensure all hot spots were extinguished.

Damages were estimated at $15,000.

This story was originally published July 31, 2015 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Fire breaks out in northwest Merced backyard."