California Blaze: Firefighters Battle Wind-Driven Wildfire Near San Francisco

Firefighters, backed by aircraft, combated a fierce, wind-driven wildfire straddling the San Francisco Bay Area and central California. The blaze, dubbed the Corral Fire, began near Tracy and Livermore, rapidly expanding amid strong winds. Evacuation orders were issued as Interstate 580 was closed due to smoke impairing visibility.

California firefighters, aided by aircraft, fiercely battled a wind-driven wildfire on Saturday in an area straddling the San Francisco Bay Area and central California. Authorities reported that the Corral Fire, which began near the city of Tracy and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, quickly spread due to strong winds.

Dark plumes of smoke were visible high in the sky over the fire area, which is primarily composed of grassy hills. Overnight, the winds were expected to remain strong, complicating containment efforts. Late Saturday, Cal Fire announced the fire had grown to 15.6 square miles (40.4 square kilometers) with 13% containment, an increase from an earlier estimate.

As a result of the smoke, Interstate 580 was closed in both directions from Corral Hollow Road to Interstate 5, according to the California Department of Transportation. Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit Chief, Baraka Carter, reported two firefighter injuries, as noted by the San Francisco Chronicle. Evacuation orders were issued, affecting areas east of Interstate 580 and residents between Corral Hollow Road and Tracy Boulevard.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)