SCU Lightning Complex: Firefighters Brace For Tough Afternoon Battle; 229,918 Acres Burned, 20,020 Residents Evacuated
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A small army of firefighters watched the marine layer of moist air slowly burn off Friday morning, preparing for another tough day battling with SCU Lightning Complex blazes that have burned 229,968 acres and forced more than 20,000 residents from their homes in a five-county area.
There were 1,114 firefighters manning the lines deployed from Cal Fire and dozens of Bay Area fire departments. The 20 complex fires have been divided into three zones -- the Canyon Zone, the Calaveras Zone and the Deer Zone. Fire lines were in Alameda, Contra Costa, Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Santa Clara counties.
As of Friday evening containment of the fire complex was holding at 10 percent. The lightning-sparked fires were still threatening more than 20,000 homes and two first responders had suffered injuries.
"Northwest winds will surface rapidly when the inversion (marine layer) breaks on the Deer and Calaveras Zones," Cal Fire said in a morning release. "Daytime humidity will be in the teens across the entire complex. Expect critical rates of spread when fuels, wind, and topography are in alignment and in increase in fire activity after noon."
New evacuation orders and warnings were issued for central and southern parts of Santa Clara County and parts of San Joaquin County late Thursday afternoon due to the advancing fires (map)
The evacuation orders include areas east of Morgan Hill and north of state Highway 152 around Henry Coe State Park at the southern reach of the fires. Earlier Thursday, areas of San Joaquin County bordering the Stanislaus County line and Alameda County line were placed under evacuation orders.
- EVACUATIONS, ROAD CLOSURES (updated 4:15 p.m.)
- EVACUATION MAP
The fires that compose the SCU Lightning Complex are:
- Deer Zone: [Contra Costa County]
Round Fire, Palm Fire, Marsh Fire, and Briones Fire - Calaveras Zone: [Alameda County / Santa Clara County / Stanislaus County]
Kilkare Fire, Arroyo Fire, Mill Creek Fire, Welch Fire, Ohlone Fire, and Reservoir Fire - Canyon Zone: [Stanislaus County / San Joaquin County]
Peg Leg Fire, Terraville Fire, Del Puerto Fire, and Peach Fire
EVACUATION ORDERS:
Alameda County / Stanislaus County:
- Frank Raines Park to Mines Road
- Del Puerto Canyon Road 1 mile to Mines Road
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
Santa Clara County:
- 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 Rd.
- East and North of Hwy 152
- West of the Merced County Line
- North of Hwy 152
- South of Metcalf Rd. at Shingle Valley Rd.
- East to the Stanislaus County Line
- North of Hwy 130 to Santa Clara County Line
- 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
- East of Ed Levin County Park, Felter Rd., Sierra Rd., Toyon Ave. and Mt. Hamilton Rd. to 3 Springs Rd.
- North of Mt. Hamilton Rd. to Three Springs Rd.
- West of the Fire Perimeter
- 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-5
- West of I-5 North of Stanislaus/Merced County Line
- North of Stanislaus/Merced County Line
- East of Santa Clara County Line
Alameda County:
- All of Mines Road, south of Mile Marker 10 to the county line
Stanislaus County:
- All Areas of Diablo Grande Parkway and the Diablo Grande Community
EVACUATION WARNINGS:
Alameda County:
- City of Fremont - Mill Creek Road
San Joaquin County:
- North of West Corral Hollow Road to I-580
- East of the Alameda county line to I-580
- 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
Santa Clara County:
- East of Lovers Lane and the Santa County Line
- South of Hwy 152 to the San Benito County Line
- West to the Merced County Line
- North of the San Benito County Line to Hwy 152
- South of Metcalf Rd. East of Coyote Creek to the Anderson Lake Shore
- East of Cochrane 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 Shingle Valley Rd. and everything East of Anderson Lake
- East of Coyote Reservoir
- East of Roop Road
- East of Leavesley Road
- East of Crews Road
- 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
Stanislaus County:
- All areas of Diablo Grande Pkwy and the Diablo Grande Community
- South of Diablo Grande Parkway and the Diablo Community to the Stanislaus/Merced County Line
- West of the I-5
- North of Stanislaus/Merced County Line
- East of Santa Clara County Line
EVACUATION CENTERS:
- Creekside Middle School, 535 Peregrine Dr, Patterson
- Milpitas Library, 160 N Main St., Milpitas
- Ann Sobrato High School – Performing Arts Building, 401 Burnett Ave., Morgan Hill
ANIMAL SHELTER
County of Santa Clara Animal Services: 408-686-3900
For the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy
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 Quinby Rd.
