Evacuation orders lifted following 14,000-acre Corral Fire

Residents who were forced from their homes this weekend when a wildfire broke out near a local explosives and materials testing site in San Joaquin County have been allowed to return home Sunday evening, authorities said.

The Corral Fire, which started Saturday afternoon near Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site 300, is burning west of Interstate 580. It had grown to 14,168 acres as of Sunday evening.

The fire is 50% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

Feeding on light, dry grass, the fire moved toward Tracy, a city of about 100,000 east of San Francisco, and triggered mandatory evacuations that were downgraded to warning Sunday at 6 p.m. hours.

“Residents are advised to remain vigilant and prepared for potential changes,” the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services said in an advisory to residents.

The fire was also seen as a threat to the nearby laboratory, which the Environmental Protection Agency describes as a “site for testing explosives and materials intended to support nuclear weapons research,” l 'Associated Press.

The EPA said operations at the site, which began in the 1950s, “contaminated the soil and groundwater with hazardous chemicals,” and that long-term cleanup is underway.

The fire briefly closed Interstate 580, but all lanes have since reopened. Local closures remain in place as crews continue to battle the fire.