Fremont grass fire appears suspicious, acting battalion chief says

FREMONT, Calif. (BCN/KTVU) - Evacuations in the Niles District of Fremont have been lifted after fire crews contained a grass fire early Monday morning, according to police.

 A "small number" of homes near 36990 Mission Blvd. had been evacuated by Fremont police as a precaution as firefighters worked to put out the fire late Sunday night which had burned about 15 acres on the steep hill just north of Blaisdell Way, police said. An acting battalion chief told KTVU that the grass fire appeared to be suspicious.

Police reported the fire contained at 12:53 a.m.

The fire was first reported at 9:59 p.m. Sunday on a steep grassy hill immediately north of subdivision of single-family homes two blocks north of Mission Boulevard, which has since reopened to traffic, police said.

Jonathan Sloves had been evacuated.

"We went outside we looked and we saw there was like the hills were on fire and the fire was moving down the hill, and so we didn't really ask any questions, we just sorta packed and thought we'd ask our questions later," he said.