Corral Fire near Tracy prompts evacuations, highway closures

By Nia Towne

A home was destroyed and two firefighters were injured Saturday in a wildfire southwest of Tracy, according to CalFire.

Evacuations are still in place following the fire now called the Corral Fire. San Joaquin County is updating an evacuation map.

CalFire reports indicate the fire has grown to 14,000 acres and is 30% contained, as of 12:45 p.m. Sunday.

#CorralFire [update] near the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory site, 300 southwest of Tracy (San Joaquin County), now 14,000 acres and 30% confined. Firefighters have made good progress in constructing and improving control lines. https://t.co/UbmUFnYKlx@AlamedaCoFire @SJC_OES pic.twitter.com/4RzQCRBlD4

– CAL FIRE SCU (@calfireSCU) June 2, 2024

According to CalFire incident maps of the Corral Fire, the fire started at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory site on Corral Hollow Road southwest of Tracy.

Portions of Interstate 580 were closed following the fire. The following routes are open as of 12:45 p.m. Sunday, according to CalTrans:

• Highway 132 from I-5 to I-580
• Westbound 580
• Left lane on Route 580 eastbound. The right lane remains closed from Corral Hollow Road to South Bird Road.

#TrafficUpdate: #SanJoaquin County Westbound I-580 is open. The I-580 #1 (left) eastbound lane is also open. Lane #2 (right) remains closed from Corral Hollow Road. to S. Bird Road. #Know before you go #Quickmap #CorralFire pic.twitter.com/EeAZBbqdLx

– Caltrans District 10 (@CaltransDist10) June 2, 2024

Evacuation orders

Several evacuation orders issued by the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services remain in effect. The orders encompass areas west of the California Aqueduct, south of Corral Hollow Creek, extending to Alameda County to the west and Stanislaus County to the south.

Authorities are strongly urging residents in these areas to evacuate.

A temporary evacuation center has been established at the Larch Clover Community Center, located at 11157 W Larch Road in Tracy.

As of Sunday morning, the Tracy Hills neighborhood north of Corral Hollow Road remained unaffected by evacuation orders. The Tracy Police Department reported that precautionary back burns were conducted near that area Sunday evening.

No evacuations are in place for people within the Tracy city limits, according to the Tracy Police Department.

House destroyed by fire

CalFire Battalion Chief Josh Silveira said Sunday afternoon that the fire “burned every house” in the area and destroyed one home.

The wildfire posed no threat to laboratory facilities or operations and had moved away from the site, Lawrence Livermore spokesman Paul Rhien said in a statement to The Associated Press early Sunday.

Silviera says fire crews made significant progress overnight thanks to favorable winds. CalFire has 400 firefighters assigned to fire support and air support units who will actively fight the fire.

The National Weather Service said “dangerously hot conditions” with temperatures ranging from 103 F to 108 F were expected later in the week for the San Joaquin Valley. Wind gusts of up to 45 mph hit the area Saturday evening, according to meteorologist Idamis Shoemaker of the Sacramento Weather Service.

Injured firefighters

Two firefighters suffered minor to moderate burns Saturday and are expected to make a full recovery, Silveira said.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report