Brush fire comes as hot temps hit East Bay

CONCORD, Calif. (KGO) -- It was a hot day in the Bay Area, and the East Bay may have been hit the hardest.

By the time ABC7 arrived at Willow Pass Road Monday morning, 15 acres of grass in the former Concord Naval Weapons Station had burned. That blaze came within 100 yards of homes.

RELATED: More than a dozen heat records set in Bay Area today

Thank a fast response by firefighters and good fortune on a day when heat, low humidity and dry grass could have conspired for much worse.

"It's so dry, it's not a shock. But so close to home, you feel unnerved," said Bobbie Lope, who lives in the neighborhood. And, even more so considering that this was the second fire along Willow Pass Road in a four days.

Steve Hill of the Concord Fire Department does not believe they are connected.

"It's likely this is something that came out of a vehicle like a cigarette butt."

For the rest of us, this heat just settled down and took over. Now imagine having to work in it.

"Well, sometimes you don't think. You're just out there. Your body gets numb," said Eric Bartow, who spent Monday controlling traffic on hot asphalt in Antioch. He drinks a dozen bottles of water per shift. "Do this long enough," he said, "A person does get used to it. Start in the morning and you warm gradually."

"Like the frog in the frying pan?"

"Sorta' like it..."

In order to find someone in avoidance mode, we visited the local marina. The, we found Jimmy Do, loading ice and food into jet skis as the thermometer approached three figures.

"How does it feel?" we asked.

"Like my country."

"Where is that?"

"Vietnam."

Then, away he went with a friend and two sons into the Delta water, spreading spray and basking in every drop.

At least a cool time was had by some of us.

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