SCU Lightning Complex Fire: Latest Acreage, Updates, Evacuations

BAY AREA, CA — A cluster of 20 lightning-sparked fires scorching the East Bay, South Bay and neighboring Central Valley area grew more than 45,000 acres Friday for a total of 274,968 acres burned as of 7 p.m. Friday, according to Cal Fire.

The fires are 10 percent contained, up from 5 percent Thursday, according to the Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit (SCU). Five buildings have been destroyed and more than 20,000 buildings are threatened.

The Contra Costa County part of the SCU Lightning Complex fires, known as the Deer Zone Fires have nearly been extinguished, Cal Fire said Friday morning.

Evacuation orders have been issued for surrounding homes in several counties as more than 1,100 first responders look to protect buildings and critical infrastructure on a day where high temperatures and dry overnight weather are expected. Fire activity is expected to pick up after noon Friday, Cal Fire said.

The SCU Lightning Complex fires consist of a few clusters:

• The Deer Zone fires in Contra Costa County, west of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir
• The Calaveras Zone fires in Alameda, Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties, northeast of the Calaveras Reservoir in the Sunol area and east of the reservoir, stretching down into the San Felipe Hills.
• The Canyon Zone fires in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties, burning toward Corral Hollow on the north end and burning into Henry W. Coe State Park on the south end.

Acreage information is not available for each fire cluster, but see the outlines of each fire on Cal Fire's map.

Two first responders and two members of the public have been injured in the fire, which is thought to have initially sparked at 4 a.m. Sunday. The cause remains under investigation.

See information on road closures, evacuation orders and warnings, and evacuation shelters below; but the public may call Cal Fire's incident information line at 916-618-3195 or 669-247-7431 for the latest information on the fires.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

Road Closures

• Holiday Drive at East Dunne Avenue
• Coyote Reservoir Road at Roop Road
• Canada Road at Highway 152
• Hwy 152 at Belle Station
• Del Puerto Canyon Road (SR-130) between Mines Road and Diablo Grande Parkway
• Highway 130 at Three Springs Road
• Highway 130 at Quimby Road

Evacuation Orders

Plan. Prepare. Stay Aware.
Remember the Six P's
-People and pets
-Papers
-Prescriptions
-Pictures
-Personal Devices
-"Plastic" (Credit/ATM Cards) https://t.co/evYmdBqIzA
— Caltrans District 4 (@CaltransD4) August 20, 2020

Alameda County

Alameda County/Stanislaus County

San Joaquin County

Santa Clara County

Evacuation Warnings

Alameda County

• City of Fremont - Mill Creek Road

Merced County

• north of Highway 152 to I-5, to Santa Clara and Stanislaus county line
• West of I-5, except Santa Nella
• east of Santa Clara and Stanislaus county line to Delta-Mendota
• south of Stanislaus county line to Highway 152

San Joaquin County

• All of PAR Estates (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

Santa Clara County

• South of Metcalf Rd., East of Coyote Creek to the Anderson Lake Shore, East of Chochrane Rd., East of Hill Rd.

• 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

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

Evacuation Centers

• Creekside Middle School (535 Peregrine Drive, Patterson)
• Milpitas Library (160 N. Main St., Milpitas)
• Ann Sobrato High School performing arts building (401 Burnett Ave., Morgan Hill)

Animal Evacuation Centers

• County of Santa Clara Animal Services: 408-686-3900 (for the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy)
• Hold Your Horses Live Stock: 925-584-1976 (for large animals in Canyon Fire area)

Also See:

• PG&E Employee Dies Assigned To LNU Lightning Complex Fire
• The Salvation Army Feeds Deer Zone Fire Crews, Evacuees In Contra Costa County
• San Mateo/Santa Cruz County Fires
• Marin County Fires
• Napa County Fires
• 2,500 Lightning Strikes In Bay Area: SEE
• Hopscotch Drawn On San Francisco Sidewalk Sparks Joy: Watch

— Bay City News contributed to this report