SCU Lightning Complex Fires: More Evacuations Ordered As Fires Engulf 35,000 Acres
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A series of lightning-caused fires involving several Bay Area counties grew to 35,000 acres Tuesday night and forced more mandatory evacuation orders at the Santa Clara County line, according to fire authorities.
The East and South Bay fires have been grouped together by Cal Fire's Santa Clara Unit into what is now known as the SCU Lightning Complex fires (map). As of Tuesday evening, the fires were 4 percent contained.
New mandatory evacuations orders issued at 10 p.m. Tuesday cover an area that includes north of 130 to the Santa Clara County line, west of San Antonio Valley Road, west of Mines Road to the Santa Clara County line, east of 3 Springs Road and Mount Hampton Road and the area south of the Santa Clara County line.
New evacuation warnings were issued for east of Ed Levin County Park, Felter Road, Sierra Road, Toyan Avenue and Mt. Hampton Road to 3 Springs Road, north of Mount Hamilton Road to 3 Springs Road, south of the Santa Clara County line and west of the fire perimeter.
The group is comprised of approximately 20 different fires that were sparked by lightning on Sunday and are spread across five separate counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, and Stanislaus.
Earlier Tuesday afternoon, there was zero containment on the fires, which are burning in steep, inaccessible terrain, Cal Fire reported. Low humidity and triple-digit daytime temperatures have challenged more than 500 firefighters working the fires; an excessive heat warning is in effect until Wednesday.
ALSO READ:
- LNU Lightning Complex Fires: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Stanislaus counties
- CZU Lightning Complex Fires: San Mateo, Santa Cruz counties
Among the largest of the fires was the Marsh Fire in Alameda and Santa Clara counties, which had burned nearly 2,000 acres as of Monday evening, and the Deer Zone Fires near Mount Diablo burned more than 1,450 acres as of Tuesday morning.
The Lightning Complex is divided into three zones, the Deer Zone, Calaveras Zone and Canyon Zone.
Deer Zone (Contra Costa County): Round Fire, Palm Fire, Marsh Fire, Briones Fire
Calaveras Zone (Alameda/Santa Clara/Stanislaus Counties): Kilkare Fire, Arroyo Fire, Mill Creek Fire, Welch Fire, Ohlone Fire, Reservoir Fire
Canyon Zone (Stanislaus/San Joaquin County): Peg Leg Fire, Terraville Fire, Del Puerto Fire, Peach Fire
EVACUATION ORDERS:
Alameda/Stanislaus County:
Frank Rains Park to Mines Road
Del Puerto Canyon Road 1 mile to Mines Road
Alameda County:
Welch Creek Road
Stanislaus County:
Marsh Creek Road round valley to Morgan Territory
All of Morgan Territory and Marsh Creek mobile home park
EVACUATION WARNINGS:
Alameda County:
Mill Creek Road
*All evacuation warnings have been lifted for the Kilkare Canyon Area
ROAD CLOSURES:
Marsh Creek Road between Morgan Territory Road and Deer Valley Road Del Puerto Canyon Road (SR-130) between Mines Road and Diablo Grande Parkway.