Firefighters made significant headway on Sunday in containing a wind-driven wildfire that had ravaged thousands of acres near Tracy, incinerating a home and prompting evacuations.
As of Sunday evening, CalFire reported that the cause of the blaze was still under investigation.
The fire broke out on Saturday afternoon in the grassy hills managed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a prominent center for nuclear weapons science and technology in the United States.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection assured that the research facility was not immediately threatened by the fire, dubbed the Corral Fire, which had consumed approximately 22 square miles by Sunday afternoon. By Sunday evening, it had burned about 14,168 acres and was 50% contained.
Thousands of residents in the vicinity, including parts of the city of Tracy with a population of 100,000, were instructed to evacuate to safety on Saturday. CalFire stated that around 200 families were affected by the evacuation order.
The evacuation order was later downgraded to a warning on Sunday evening, allowing residents to return home but urging them to remain vigilant. Tracy is situated approximately 70 miles south of California's capital, Sacramento.
CalFire Battalion Chief Josh Silveira reported on Sunday afternoon that the fire had encroached upon residential areas and destroyed one house. With the weather calming down on Sunday, Silveira expressed optimism that the fire would not expand further.
Two firefighters sustained minor to moderate burns on Saturday and were hospitalized, with CalFire confirming on Sunday evening that they were still receiving treatment.
The wildfire posed no immediate threat to the laboratory's facilities or operations and had moved away from the site, according to Lawrence Livermore spokesperson Paul Rhien.
As a precaution, the laboratory activated its emergency operations center to monitor the situation over the weekend.
Images depicted a towering wall of flames advancing across the dry landscape as dense smoke rose into the air.
The wildfire prompted the closure of two major highways, including an interstate linking the San Francisco Bay Area to San Joaquin County, although they had reopened by Sunday afternoon.
The San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services issued evacuation orders for areas west of the California Aqueduct, south of Corral Hollow Creek, west to Alameda County, and south to Stanislaus County. A temporary evacuation point was established at Larch Clover Community Center in Tracy. The orders were subsequently downgraded to warnings after 6 p.m. Sunday.
One home was lost in the fire on Bernard Drive near Tracy in San Joaquin County, where Travis Curtiss' parents, Chris and Stevan Curtiss, had resided for 35 years. Despite the loss, they managed to evacuate safely with their pets.
Residents in the affected neighborhood expressed astonishment at how rapidly the flames approached their homes, with 14-year-old Monte Maniz recalling the sudden escalation due to intensified winds.
Sunday's weather forecast for Tracy anticipated a high of 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with hotter conditions expected later in the week, posing additional challenges for firefighting efforts.
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