Placer County focuses on wildfire prevention along I-80 amid spike in "brake fires"

PLACER COUNTY -- Placer County is looking into new ways to prevent wildfires sparked by vehicles along I-80 in the Sierra Nevada.

One of the biggest concerns is "brake fires" caused by semi-trucks coming down from the summit. Over the past five years, the county has seen a 6% rise in vehicle fires with about 70 reported last year.

The most problematic area is the stretch of road between Blue Canyon and Colfax, where officials say truckers often drive too fast or ride their brakes before they catch fire.

"The brakes catch on fire which catches the tires on fire and all that underneath the trailer. They pull over to the side of the freeway and there's vegetation the fire can spread to," California Highway Patrol Officer Jason Lyman said.

After talks with Caltrans, the county says the agency is now allocating funds for fuel reduction projects along the highway.

"We are trying to expand that so we have funding in perpetuity because forests grow back, trees grow back and we need to keep up with it," district 5 supervisor, Cindy Gustafson said.

Caltrans and the CHP are also urging the county to engage regional trucking companies to raise awareness about this dangerous stretch of road.

One of the first fuel reduction projects is scheduled to start on Monday.