Oakley Sellers Fire Chars 58 Acres, Destroys Structures

OAKLEY, CA — Forward progress of a wind-driven brush fire that broke out Wednesday in unincorporated Oakley, charring 58 acres and destroying at least two outbuildings, has been stopped, officials with the East Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said at about 3:35 p.m.

The so-called Sellers Fire was reported at about noon in the 5000 block of Sellers Avenue, and emergency, mandatory evacuations were ordered soon after for residents in a small area near Delta Road and Crismore Drive.

The number of people evacuated was not immediately available, but those affected were advised to immediately leave by car in the direction of state Highway 4.

As of 4:15 p.m., Cococws.us, which is the county's website for emergency situations, indicated evacuation orders related to the Sellers Fire have since been lifted.

Sellers Avenue remained closed between Delta Avenue and Jan Lane, authorities said.

A precautionary power outage was also still in place for an estimated 5,600 PG&E customers, city officials said.

Just two hours earlier, at 1:40 p.m., the brush fire was raging out of control. Fire Marshal Steve Aubert said the fire was driven by winds and there was a risk associated with many eucalyptus trees in the area.

There is not a municipal water system in the affected area, so water for handling the fire was being brought in with tankers.

An air quality advisory was issued Wednesday afternoon for eastern Contra Costa County because of the vegetation fire in unincorporated Oakley, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

Impacts from the fire were expected in Oakley, Brentwood, Knightsen and Discovery Bay. Current impacts include smoky skies, the smell of smoke and localized elevated particle pollution.

Patch will update this post as more information is gathered; refresh the page for the latest.

—Bay City News Service contributed to this report.