Wildfire scorches 14,000 acres, prompting evacuations in the Central Valley

A wind-driven wildfire in San Joaquin County reached 14,168 acres by Sunday night, prompting evacuations in some areas, officials said.

The Corral fire near the city of Tracy, east of San Francisco, is 50% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

The blaze was reported late Saturday afternoon near the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site 300, southwest of Tracy. The Environmental Protection Agency describes Site 300 as a “high-explosives and materials testing site in support of nuclear weapons research.” The EPA said operations at the site, which began in the 1950s, “contaminated soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals,” and long-term cleanup is ongoing.

The wildfire presented no threats to 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.”

More than 400 firefighters are battling the blaze. Although strong winds and dry grass made the fire difficult to contain, officials said Sunday morning that weather conditions had become “more favorable for firefighters, allowing crews to make progress.”

Interstate 580, which connects the San Francisco Bay Area to San Joaquin County, was closed in both directions from Corral Hollow Road to Interstate 5 for several hours due to heavy smoke, according to the California Department of Transportation. By Sunday afternoon, all westbound lanes had reopened, as well as one eastbound lane.

Video shared by users on the social media site X showed smoke and flames near the roadway.

As the fire grew, it forced evacuations throughout the area. A temporary evacuation center has been established at Larch Clover Community Center at 11157 W. Larch Rd. in Tracy.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.