With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
A fire scorches thousands of acres east of San Francisco, prompting evacuations
A home burns during the Corral Fire at Bernard and Stearman roads, west of Tracy, Calif., on Saturday.
(
Kent Porter
/
The Press Democrat via AP
)
Updated June 02, 2024 at 16:11 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO — A wind-driven fire continued to scorch thousands of acres 60 miles (97 kilometers) east of San Francisco, prompting residents to flee their homes and the closure of two major freeways near the central California city of Tracy.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the fire erupted Saturday afternoon in the grassy hills managed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, one of the country's key centers for nuclear weapons science and technology.
Authorities said the research center was not under immediate threat from the blaze, dubbed the Corral Fire, which had devoured some 20 square miles (52 square kilometers) by Sunday afternoon and was only 15% contained.
Sponsored message
Nevertheless, authorities ordered some residents to leave the area and set up evacuation centers.
The wildfire presented no threats to any laboratory facilities or operations and the fire had moved away from the site, Lawrence Livermore spokesperson Paul Rhien said in a statement to The Associated Press early Sunday.
“We have been working in close partnership with Cal Fire, Alameda County Fire Dept, and other emergency services partners throughout the evening,” Rhien said. “As a precaution, we have activated our emergency operations center to monitor the situation through the weekend.”
It was not immediately known how many structures had been destroyed by the fire. Photos showed a wall of flames moving over the parched landscape as dark smoke billowed into the sky.
In this image from an AlertCalifornia/UC San Diego monitoring camera, smoke rises from the Corral Fire near the city of Tracy, Calif., Saturday, June 1, 2024.
(
AP
/
AlertCalifornia/UC San Diego
)
California firefighters aided by aircraft battled a wind-driven wildfire that continued not only burning but spreading early Sunday in an area straddling the San Francisco Bay Area and central California, authorities said.
“Strong winds and dry grass have made it difficult for firefighters to contain,” Cal Fire said in a Facebook post Sunday morning.
Sponsored message
Interstate 580, which connects the San Francisco Bay Area to San Joaquin County in central California, was closed from the Alameda County line to the Stanislaus County Line. SR 132 was also closed from I-580 to SR 33 due to the wildfire, the California Department of Transportation said in a statement.
The San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services issued an evacuation order for areas west of the California Aqueduct, south of Corral Hollow Creek, west to Alameda County and south to Stanislaus County. A temporary evacuation point was established at Larch Clover Community Center in Tracy.
Sunday’s high temperature for Tracy was expected to reach 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius), with no rain in the forecast, but hotter conditions are on their way.
Copyright 2024 NPR
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
