Metz Fire ignites in Monterey County near Greenfield

(KRON) — A wildfire ignited on Tuesday afternoon near Greenfield, a rural city located in south Monterey County. The wildfire, named the Metz Fire by Cal Fire officials , broke out around 3 p.m. while temperatures rose over 100 degrees.

As of 5 p.m., the Metz Fire had burned 565 acres of grassland, was zero percent contained, and was spreading at a “critical rate,” Cal Fire officials wrote.

The wildfire blistered dry hillsides along Metz Road, east of Highway 101. Firefighters waged an aerial attack with at least two helicopters and two air tankers.

Cal Fire wrote, “The fire’s progression is exacerbated by high temperatures of 105°F, low relative humidity at 24%, and winds from the NW at 7 mph, gusting up to 19 mph. Challenging weather conditions and difficult terrain are hindering suppression efforts. In response, significant augmentation of both air and ground resources is underway to combat the fire.”

A giant plume of black and gray smoke billowed above Greenfield Tuesday afternoon.

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