A brush fire in Martinez, aided by breezy conditions off the Delta, spread quickly Sunday and was approaching homes as nervous residents watched.
Firefighters got a call about 4 p.m. and arrived to find the fire on a steep hillside. They battled rough terrain in their efforts to knock down the blaze and had it under control by about 5:30 p.m., according to fire officials.
The fire quickly burned through 3 acres of dry brush in the hills near Shell Avenue, Harbor View Drive and Alhambra Avenue in Martinez.
The cause of the fire was not known, but early reports are that its origin is suspicious.
No further details were available.
