A fast-moving grass fire near Highway 41 in Fresno threatened several warehouses on Saturday before firefighters quickly stopped the flames from spreading further.
The fire broke out around 2:15 p.m. near Highway 41 and O Street on the north side of the freeway.
Fresno Fire spokesperson Josh Sellers said strong winds pushed the flames across the highway and into a grass field between roadways and warehouses located between O Street and Santa Fe Avenue.
The fire threatened at least eight warehouses in the area.
Sellers said two warehouse units sustained minor damage, but firefighters were able to quickly contain and extinguish the flames before the buildings became heavily involved.
“Crews did a fantastic job,” Sellers said. “They basically saved every warehouse that was threatened.”
About 70 firefighters responded to the scene.
During the firefight, railroad traffic in the area was temporarily shut down as crews worked on both sides of the tracks to contain the blaze.
Because of the large response and another incident elsewhere in the city, Fresno Fire temporarily suspended responses to medical aid calls.
Sellers said normal emergency-response operations have since resumed.
Smoke from the fire created visibility concerns for drivers along Highway 41.
“Anytime you have smoke laying down and obstructing drivers’ views, that’s always a hazard,” Sellers said. “We always tell everyone to slow down and move over.”
Winds were blowing from the northwest to the southeast, pushing smoke and embers toward the Butler Avenue area, according to Sellers.
Fire crews were expected to remain at the scene for several hours.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 5:22 PM.
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Anthony Galaviz writes about sports for The Fresno Bee. He covers the Las Vegas Raiders, high schools, boxing, MMA and junior colleges. He’s been with The Bee since 1997 and attended Fresno City College before graduating from Fresno State with a major in journalism and a minor in criminology.
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