A grass fire that ignited in Greenfield the afternoon of Tuesday, July 23 shut down a portion of Metz Road and is forcing some evacuations.

As of 3:30pm, the fire stands at 200 acres with no containment, says Cal Fire Battalion Chief Josh Silveira. Crews are battling the blaze on the ground and in the air, which has the potential to grow to 1,000 acres.

Silveira says the blaze is burning in a rural area, with less than 50 structures threatened. Cal Fire crews are working with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Emergency Management to help evacuate those affected.

Metz Road is shut down from Elm Avenue to King City.

Silveira says windy conditions are fueling the blaze, which seemingly happens in the same area nearly every year.

“Once the wind dies down, then the fire goes out,” he says. “It’s a totally wind-driven fire at this point. It’s making it difficult to flank it and get ahead of it.”