Huge plume of smoke visible over Petaluma as barn burns outside town

Authorities are investigating a barn fire that burned Thursday afternoon just outside Petaluma and created a huge column of smoke above the city.

At least four agencies, including the Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District and the Petaluma Fire Department, sent firefighters and equipment to the fire in the 700 block of Cavanaugh Lane.

The fire, first reported around 2:20 p.m., did not pose a threat to the city and no evacuation orders were in effect, the Petaluma Fire Department said in a news release.

The fire appeared to be under control late Thursday afternoon. The Petaluma Fire Department referred questions to Rancho Adobe and specific details about the fire were not immediately available.

Law enforcement, who redirected traffic from Cavanaugh Lane, said Battalion 91 was first on scene and reported heavy fire inside a barn.

Additional tanker trucks were sent to help fight the fire because there were no fire hydrants in the area, officials said.

Smoke could be seen in Rohnert Park, according to the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety.

The Sonoma County Fire District sent several crews to help put out the flames, agency spokeswoman Karen Hancock told The Press Democrat.

Authorities asked residents to stop reporting the fire to dispatch because they are aware of the fire and are coordinating their response.

You can contact staff writer Madison Smalstig at [email protected]. On X (Twitter) @madi.smals.