A fire scorched 81acres of grass and light brush in the Smartsville area today (Mon.). Cal Fire Duty Captain Scott Eckman says the acreage was at a University of California Foothill Research field station, on Scott Forbes Road, with the blaze beginning during the noon hour…

The fire was contained in less than two hours. Eckman says Cal Fire received support from the Smartsville, Marysville, Linda, Dobbins, Rough and Ready, and Penn Valley fire departments…

Eckman says the cause of the fire is not known. The field station is one of nine owned by the university round the state. The stations foster and support research, education, and outreach programs focused on key agricultural and natural resource themes relevant to the foothills.