343-Acre Park Fire Prompts Smoke Warning In Santa Clara County

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — A brush fire that broke out after midnight Sunday on a wooded ridgeline outside Morgan Hill forced evacuations and grew to more than 343 acres with 70 percent containment by Sunday night, Cal Fire said.

The fire's forward progress had been stopped shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday, officials said on Twitter.

Smoke from the fire has prompted the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue an air quality advisory through Monday for the far South Bay, including Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy.

"Onshore winds are expected to be light and are expected to become stronger throughout the day," the air district said in an announcement, with satellite images showing smoke spreading southeast of the Santa Clara Valley region. "Currently, impacts include smoky skies, smell of smoke and localized elevated particle pollution."

Residents who smell smoke are advised to limit outside exposure and keep doors and windows closed if possible. Air conditioning units and car vent systems should be set to re-circulate to prevent outside air from moving inside.

Evacuations ordered earlier for the area around the fire remain in place, officials said.

Real-time air quality readings are available online at https://bit.ly/2p7UFgs.

About 150 fire personnel responded to the Park Fire early Sunday off of East Dunne Road near Anderson Lake. Authorities ordered evacuations for homes near Finley Ridge Road, outside the Morgan Hill city limits.

A hard road closure on East Dunne Road prior to Anderson Lake is in effect, and authorities asked the public to avoid the area.

Morgan Hill police said they did not expect the fire to threaten any homes within Morgan Hill.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation as of Sunday morning.

#ParkFire [Update] The fire is now at 200 acres and 20% contained. Aircraft is now over the fire. Evacuations remain in place. pic.twitter.com/ofNO7bYzOI
— CAL FIRE SCU (@calfireSCU) July 5, 2020

Bay City News contributed to this report.