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SCU Lightning Complex: Hot, Gusty Winds Expand Burn Zone To 339,968 Acres; 3rd Largest Wildfire In Calif. History

August 22, 2020 / 8:34 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco

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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – Fanned by gusty, hot breezes, the SCU Lightning Complex fires continued burning across several counties, growing to 339,968 acres by nightfall as crews enter their seventh day battling the massive wildfires.

According to Cal Fire, the 20 lightning sparked fires burning since Sunday have merged into three major fires burning in three zones; the Canyon Zone in Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties, the Calaveras Zone burning in eastern Alameda, eastern Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties and the Deer Zone in eastern Contra Costa County.

"The fires continue to burn in steep inaccessible terrain influenced by low relative humidity and high daytime temperatures," Cal Fire officials said early Saturday evening. "Hot air temperatures developed this afternoon with southwest winds keeping things active on the Canyon Fire as winds gusted to 15 mph over the ridges. Afternoon highs from 90-95° were observed with minimum humidity around 20%. High clouds began to increase across the area signaling a change as tropical moisture surges northward."

As of 7 p.m., officials said the fires have burned 339,968 acres or more than 456.2 square miles, an area nearly 10 times the size of San Francisco (47 square miles.) The acreage burned already makes the SCU Lightning Complex the 3^rd largest wildfire in state history.

Containment remains at 10 percent. Two firefighters and two civilians have been injured. Five structures have been destroyed and 20,065 are threatened.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES COVERAGE

Evacuation orders remain in effect for more than 20,000 people, including a large swath of Santa Clara County east of San Jose. Among those who have evacuated is Lisa Berry, who left her home in the east foothills Wednesday night.

"Your mind immediately goes to the worst-case scenario. You're thinking you're saying goodbye to your house. And you're thinking it might not be here when I come back," Berry told KPIX 5.

Cal Fire ordered the evacuation of a large swath of East San Jose Wednesday even though they had successfully slowed or stopped the fire's westward march towards homes.

"The citizens are the most important thing to us. So, we have to change from a firefight to evacuating residents from their houses," said Cal Fire Spokesperson David Janssen.

Janssen says Cal Fire has more aggressively evacuated neighborhoods in the potential path of a fire after the devastating loss of life in the wine country wildfires. Large-scale evacuations, Cal Fire said, allows them to have a singular focus on fighting the actual fire.

But that more aggressive approach had some unintended consequences, often making it difficult to convince dubious neighbors to evacuate.

"We have about half the neighbors who have stayed and about half the neighbors who have left," says Kira White.

A full list of evacuation orders and warnings is below.

EVACUATION ORDERS:

Santa Clara County:

East of San Jose City limits
South of Mt. Hamilton Rd.
North of Metcalf Rd. & San Felipe Rd., East to the County Line
East of San Antonio Valley Rd. to Del Puerto Canyon Rd. to the County Line
South of Stanislaus County Between Santa Clara County Line and I-
West of I-5 North of Stanislaus/Merced County Line
North of Stanislaus/Merced County Line
East of Santa Clara County Line, East if Ed Levine County Park, Felter Rd., Sierra Rd., Toyon Ave., and Mt. Hamilton Rd. Three Springs Rd.
Toyon Ave., and Mt. Hamilton Rd. to Three Springs Rd.
North of Hwy 130 to Santa Clara County Linew
West of San Antonio Valley Rd.
West of Mines Rd. to Santa Clara County Line
East of 3 Springs Rd. and Mt. Hamilton Rd.
South of Santa Clara County Line
North of Mt. Hamilton Rd. to Three Springs Rd.
South of Santa Clara County Line
West of the Fire Perimeter
East of Ferguson Rd. East and North of Hwy 152
West of Merced County Line
North of Hwy 152
South of Metcalf Rd at Shingle Valley Rd.
East to the Stanislaus County line
East of Shingle Valley Rd. and everything East of Anderson Lake, East of Coyote Creek
East of Coyote Reservoir, East of Roop Rd., East of Leavesley Rd., East of Crews Rd
East of Ferguson Road.
East and North of Hwy 152
West of Merced County Line, North of Hwy 152
South of Metcalf Road at Shingle Valley Road, East to the Stanislaus County Line

Alameda County / Stanislaus County:

Frank Raines Park to Mines Road
Del Puerto Canyon Road 1 mile to Mines Road

Alameda County:

All of Mines Road, south of Mile Marker 10 to the county line

San Joaquin County:

South of West Corral Hollow Road to Stanislaus County line
West of I-580 to Alameda County line
East of Alameda County line to I-580 and the Stanislaus County line

The PAR Estates and following streets are excluded from the order, but will be in an evacuation warning: (See warning below)

EVACUATION WARNINGS:

San Joaquin County:

All of PAR Estates which are the following streets:

W. Vernalis Road, Bernard Drive, Stearman Road, Brichetto Court, Stearman Court, S Chrisman Road south of I-580, and the Tracy Golf & Country Club

North of West Corral Hollow Road to I-580

East of the Alameda County line to I-580

Stanislaus County:

Diablo Grande Parkway and the Diablo Community

Alameda County:

City of Fremont - Mill Creek Road

In Effect (8/22/20 7PM)

East of the Mission Blvd. and Mission Rd. Intersection south to the Intersection of Mission Blvd and Curtner Rd
East of Curtner Rd. south along I-680 to the Santa Clara County Line
South of I-580 in between Greenville Rd. and San Joaquin County Line to the Alameda/Santa Clara County Line, South of the Livermore City limits (excluding the cities of Livermore and Pleasanton), South of Hwy 84 in between Vineyard Ave. and I680, South of I-680 to the fire perimeter and the Alameda/Santa Clara County Line

West of the Alameda/San Joaquin County Line to the Livermore city limits, to Hwy 84 to I-680

North of fire perimeter and the Alameda/Santa Clara County Line to Hwy 84, to the Livermore city limits, to I-580

Santa Clara County:

South of Metcalf Rd. East of Coyote Creek to the Anderson Lake Shore, East of Chochrane Rd., East of Hill Rd. and South of Main Ave., North of Maple Ave., East of Foothill Ave, North of San Martin Ave, East of New Ave..

West of Shingle Valley Rd. and everything West of Anderson Lake, West of Coyote Creek, West of Coyote Reservoir, North and West of Roop Rd. between Coyote Reservoir Rd. and New Ave

East of Lovers Lane and the Santa Clara County
South of Hwy 152 to the San Benito County line
West to the Merced County Line
North of San Benito County Line to Hwy 152

Merced County:

North of Hwy 152 to I-5 to the Santa Clara County Line and Stanislaus County Line
West of the I-5 EXCLUDING THE COMMUNITY OF SANTA NELLA
East of Santa Clara County Line and Stanislaus County Line to the Delta-Mendota
South of the Stanislaus County Line to Hwy 152

TEMPORARY EVACUATION POINTS:

Creekside Middle School: 535 Peregrine Dr, Patterson, CA 95363

Milpitas Library: 160 N Main St Milpitas, CA 95035

Ann Sobrato High School – Performing Arts Building ,401 Burnett Ave. Morgan Hill, CA 95037

ROAD CLOSURES:

Holiday Dr. at East Dunne Ave., Coyote Reservoir Rd. at Roop Rd., Canada Rd. at Hwy 152, Hwy 152 at Belle Station
Del Puerto Canyon Road (SR-130) between Mines Road and Diablo Grande PKWY
Hwy 130 at Three Springs Rd.
Hwy 130 at Quimby Rd.

Animal Evacuation Center(s):

County of Santa Clara Animal Services: (408 )686-3900

For the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy

Hold Your Horses Live Stock: (925)-584-1976

Large Animals in Canyon Fire area