SCU Lightning Complex is now California's largest wildfire

230,000 acres burned in SCU Lightning Complex Fire

Greg Liggins reports.

LIVERMORE, Calif. - The SCU Lightning Complex Fire, made up of nearly two dozen fires across Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, continued to spread overnight and by Friday evening, the blaze had consumed nearly 229,968 acres, making it the largest fire burning in terms of geographical size being battled in California right now. The SCU fire is the 7th largest fire in state history.

According to Cal Fire, 10% of the wildfire was contained. The fire also reached into San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.

Fire offcials said so far, about 7,000 people have had to evacuate their homes.

The North Side of the SCU fires near Livermore and Sunol have been put at ease, as the fire heads south.

Part of the neighborhood is under mandatory evacuation, yet some homeowners are still reluctant to leave.

“Most of the people are still there. They don’t truly understand why the evacuation orders went all the way down into the valley as far as they did,” said Alan Hennigar.

A Cal Fire worker was in the area urging complacent residents to get out, saying favorable afternoon winds can suddenly shift.

TRACY, CA - AUGUST 18: Part of the SCU Lightning Complex Incident wildland fire burns in the hills near Corral Hollow Road seen from Tracy, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. The blaze is part of the 35,000 acres burning across Santa Clara, Alameda,

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The SCU fire and the LNU fires in the North Bay have been jockeying for which was is bigger. On Thursday, LNU was in the No. 1 spot. But on Friday, that fire had scorched 219,000 acres, about 10,000 fewer acres than SCU.

The good news is that only five structures had been damaged and no one has died, though nearly 20,000 structures remained threatened and were in harm's way, Cal Fire said.

Interactive map: See where all the fires are raging in California

A Livermore family on Mines Road was clearing brush and doing everything they could to save their home.

"We're taking down low trees, pulling branches from the ground," Bob Stear said. "We’re clearing up all the combustible materials under trees."

His wife, Julie Stear, said: "We've had our things packed since we got the evacuation notice. Now, it's just clearing further anything we possibly can, so if it does come, we can at least save the house."

Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said that currently, 12,000 firefighters are battling nearly two dozen major fires and complexes across California.

Since the lightning siege started on Saturday, there have been nearly 12,000 lightning strikes, sparking more than 560 new wildfires.

Those fires have burned over 771,00 acres in total.

Berlant said fire danger remains elevated this weekend as there still may be more lightning expected Sunday through Tuesday, gusty winds in the Eastern Sierra and very hot temperatures.

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EVACUATION ORDERS:

Alameda County / Stanislaus County:

Frank Raines Park to Mines Road

Del Puerto Canyon Road 1 mile to Mines Road

Santa Clara County:

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

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 Lin

North of Mt. Hamilton Rd. to Three Springs Rd.

South of Santa Clara County Line

West of the Fire Perimeter

East of Ferguson Rd. East and North of Hwy 152

West of Merced County Line

North of Hwy 152

South of Metcalf Rd at Shingle Valley Rd.

East to the Stanislaus County line

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 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

Alameda County:

All of Mines Road, south of Mile Marker 10 to the county line

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

The PAR Estates and following streets are excluded from the order, but will be in an evacuation warning: (See warning below)

EVACUATION WARNINGS:

San Joaquin County:

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

North of West Corral Hollow Road to I-580

East of the Alameda County line to I-580

Stanislaus County:

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

Alameda County:

City of Fremont - Mill Creek Road

Santa Clara County:

South of Metcalf Rd. East of Coyote Creek to the Anderson Lake Shore, East of Chochrane 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 Lovers Lane and the Santa Clara County

South of Hwy 152 to the San Benito County line

West to the Merced County Line

North of San Benito County Line to Hwy 152

EVACUATION CENTERS:

Creekside Middle School: 535 Peregrine Dr, Patterson, CA 95363

Milpitas Library: 160 N Main St Milpitas, CA 95035

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 Quimby Rd.