- The fire, which started Saturday, was 30 percent contained Sunday night.
- Some San Joaquin County residents ordered to evacuate
- California and other western states prepare for an intense heat wave
The grass fire that started over the weekend in Northern California has burned 14,000 acres and forced residents in its path of destruction to flee, as the state and surrounding areas brace for an intense heat wave this week. .
The Corral Fire, which started Saturday afternoon and raged overnight, was 30 percent contained Sunday afternoon, although it’s unclear if that figure has changed or improved heading into Monday.
Officials say gusty winds, hot, dry temperatures and parched grass created the conditions that allowed the devastating fire to spread quickly and easily.
The cause of the fire is still unknown and an investigation is underway.
This comes as Arizona, California and Las Vegas are seeing temperatures reaching 112°F in the coming weeks, with the numbers expected to break records this summer.
The Corral Fire broke out Saturday afternoon in Northern California. It has since engulfed about 14,000 acres of land, which is made easier to burn by dry grass, strong winds and high temperatures.
San Joaquin County officials issued evacuation orders to “areas west of the California Aqueduct, south of Corral Hollow Creek, western Alameda County, and southern Stanislaus County.”
On Saturday night, San Joaquin officials advised Tracy residents who live closest to the fire to evacuate, and instructed others to be “ready to go.”
At least two firefighters were injured while trying to contain the fire, according to the Santa Clara, California Fire Unit. Both were hospitalized with minor to moderate burns.
Mayor Kevin J. Lincoln of Stockton, a neighboring city, said Saturday, “Praying for our neighbors in Tracy and first responders.”
There is serious concern that the fire will continue to spread, according to the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
Extreme heat over the next week may exacerbate already favorable fire conditions.
“An excessive heat advisory continues across the valley and adjacent foothills Tuesday through Thursday, with expected afternoon highs of 95-107˚F,” the service said.
Western states, including California, Arizona and parts of Nevada, will experience an intense heat wave this week.
Starting Tuesday, the California Valley region could see temperatures rise as high as 108˚F.
The scorching temperatures will then move to Las Vegas and extend to Lake Havasu, Arizona.
On Thursday and Friday, temperatures in desert areas such as Vegas, Phoenix and Palm Springs are expected to reach 112˚F.
If Las Vegas reaches 110˚F on Thursday, it will be the first day in June that the city has been this warm.
If Phoenix exceeds 111˚F on Thursday, it will break a daily record set eight years ago.
A house burns during the Corral Fire at Bernard and Stearman roads, west of Tracy, California, on Saturday, June 1, 2024. The National Weather Service in Sacramento remains concerned that this week’s perpetually high temperatures will present the fire with ideal conditions to continue spreading. At least two firefighters were injured while trying to contain the fire, according to the Santa Clara, California Fire Unit.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection recently suspended all outdoor residential burning of yard debris, such as leaves and branches, in San Joaquin and surrounding counties.
The suspension, the department stated, was implemented precisely because of the increased danger of wildfires that exists due to the region’s hot, dry conditions.
Since the beginning of 2024, California firefighters have already responded to about 1,200 wildfires, and summer begins the height of wildfire season.
Santa Clara Fire Unit Chief Baraka Carter said, ‘As the summer heat intensifies, the CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit’s unwavering commitment and efforts remain steadfast to protect communities from California wildfires.
“By remaining vigilant and following fire safety and prevention guidelines, we can work together to mitigate risk and protect our communities.”
The fire reportedly started Saturday at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site 300 on the border of San Joaquin and Alameda counties.
Site 300 houses facilities that support the development of explosive materials as well as hydrodynamic testing.
Those running the site evaluate the operational capability of non-nuclear weapons components and test new conventional explosives to potentially increase the nuclear arsenal.
David Adeh of Modesto stays to put out fires in his brother’s neighborhood west of Tracy, California. Dozens of abandoned cars burned at a junkyard during the Corral Fire in San Joaquin County.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. reported two fire-related power outages Saturday night.
The first occurred because Cal Fire requested that power be shut off on several lines to ensure the safety of its firefighters. That blackout affected approximately 1,600 people.
The second, which affected about 2,350 customers, was caused by damage to PG&E equipment.
Late Saturday night, power was restored to all but about 200 customers. No other power outages have been reported.
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