A brush fire that burned in the Fremont foothills late Sunday night is believed to be arson, according to a fire official.
A battalion chief with the Fremont Fire Department said the 12-15 acre blaze, which ignited in the area of Blaisdell Way and Montalban Drive, may have been deliberately set, and it could have been the result of or stemmed from some sort of altercation.
Fremont police evacuated a small number of residences near 36990 Mission Blvd. All evacuated residents were asked to respond to the parking lot of 585 Mowry Ave.
The first call about the fire came at about 10 p.m. Sunday, fire officials said. The fire was knocked down around 1:30 a.m. Monday.
Steep terrain and darkness presented challenges for firefighters.
No further details were immediately available.
