Big Rig Fire Near Golden Gate Bridge Snarls Wednesday Morning Commute

A big rig caught fire near the Golden Gate Bridge Wednesday morning, forcing the closure of right lanes and stacking up traffic across one of San Francisco's most heavily traveled gateways during peak commute hours. The California Highway Patrol reported no injuries, though drivers heading into the city faced significant delays before fire crews brought the blaze under control.

The incident hit at one of the worst possible times. The approach to the Golden Gate Bridge is a known chokepoint on US-101, where even minor incidents during the morning rush can cascade into backups stretching deep into the Presidio and rippling south through the Marina and Lombard Street corridor. With right lanes blocked, southbound traffic funneled into fewer lanes at a stretch of highway that carries tens of thousands of vehicles on a typical weekday morning.

Fire crews responded quickly, and CHP worked to manage lane flow while the scene was cleared. The absence of injuries was the clearest piece of good news from an otherwise disruptive morning.

Big rig fires near bridge approaches carry risks beyond gridlock. Fuel loads and cargo can introduce hazmat considerations, and road surfaces exposed to sustained heat may require inspection before full capacity is restored. Caltrans crews are typically called to assess pavement and structural integrity before all lanes return to service following a commercial vehicle fire of this kind.

For regular commuters who rely on the Golden Gate corridor, Wednesday's incident was a reminder of how little margin exists on US-101 during peak hours. Alternative routes through the Richmond District or via BART from Marin-adjacent transit connections can blunt the impact when incidents like this occur, though rerouting during an active closure rarely catches most drivers before the backup has already formed.