(Apologies for the poor-quality image; scanned from the Herald, June 23, 1994)

The Alameda County Zoning Administrator approved strict new measures Wednesday to prevent grass fires sparked by Altamont Pass windmills, just as firefighters battled a searing windmill blaze off Vasco Road.

County officials in Hayward could not have known how timely their decision was.

An afternoon grass fire sparked by a turbine charred 10 acres in southeastern Contra Costa County, melting the windmill's machinery. At one point, the turbine itself burst into flames and had to be doused by several helicopter passes.

The fire was not extraordinary. Last year, about 40 fires swept through Altamont Pass, fraying the nerves of landowners and firefighters alike.

"Living out there, it just sends a chill down my spine," said Darryl Mueller, homeowner in the Altamont and ardent windmill opponent...