UPDATE: Firefighters gained the upper hand over the fire shortly before midnight, staying on-scene to guard against flare-ups. At its height smoke from the fire prompted several concerned calls about other fires in the area but nothing else was burning, we are happy to say.
Firefighters have called for a full vegetation fire response to beat back a fast-moving fire reported by passersby alongside Highway 24 near the Wilder exit in Orinda Thursday night.
The blaze was reported at 10:20 p.m. and has consumed about an acre and a half of grass, so far. The California Highway Patrol has been called on to provide traffic control for the area.
Firefighters called for a second alarm for the fire around 10:40 p.m.
