SCU Lightning Complex Fire: 'We're Going To Put This Fire To Bed'

BAY AREA, CA — As Cal Fire inches toward containment of the SCU Lightning Complex Fires, firefighters are pacing themselves ahead of what's expected to be a long firefight.

The fires have scorched more than 364,000 acres in five counties spanning the East Bay, South Bay and surrounding Central Valley areas as of Tuesday morning. The fire is 15 percent contained.

The Deer Zone fires in Contra Costa County have been contained, while several smaller fires have merged, he said. The Calaveras Zone fires in Alameda, Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties continue to burn, as do the Canyon Zone fires in Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties.

Eighteen buildings have been destroyed and 20,000 more are threatened. Five people have been injured.

"We are essentially living in a mega-fire era," said Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit (SCU) Chief Jake Hess during a Monday afternoon news briefing. "These significant events have been outpacing themselves every year."

Though officials are unsure of when they might reach containment, they remain committed to bringing the blaze to its knees.

"Through this marathon, we're going to have good days and we're going to have bad days," Hess said. "But we're going to put this fire to bed."

Get the latest on evacuations here.

Patch staffer Gideon Rubin contributed to this report.