Police blocked off neighboring streets after a fire broke out at the Stanford Dish at approximately 2:40 this afternoon, according to a witness near the scene.
Police redirected traffic at Junipero Serra between Campus Drive East and Campus Drive West while helicopters put out the flames.
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RISING SMOKE — At 2:40 p.m., Palo Alto High School parent Julie Greicius noticed smoke rising from land surrounding the Stanford Dish. “We could see flashing red lights up in the hills of the Dish near the smoke,” Greicius said. “It seemed to be getting worse at first.”
According to an update from the Stanford Department of Public Safety at 3:06 pm, there was no threat to nearby residents.
Palo Alto High School parent Julie Greicius saw smoke at 2:40 p.m. this afternoon and alerted the authorities.
“As the smoke was getting much thicker and blowing south, we started to hear tons of sirens, like trucks were coming from every direction,” Julie Greicius said. “Then we could see flashing red lights up in the hills of the Dish near the smoke. It seemed to be getting worse at first, sirens still blaring, and about an hour later helicopters started taking turns flying over, swooping down low, and emptying huge canisters of water onto the flame.”
At 6:55 p.m. the Stanford Department of Public Safety announced that the fire had been completely extinguished and road closures had been lifted.
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PUTTING OUT THE FIRE — In part of the effort to limit spread of the fire, helicopters arrived with water cannisters to pour over the flames. “About an hour later helicopters started taking turns flying over, swooping down low, and emptying huge canisters of water onto the flame,” Greicius said.
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