CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — A fast-moving wildfire prompted evacuation warnings shortly before 5 p.m. for residents near Mount Diablo as firefighters expanded air and ground operations to battle flames burning through rugged terrain east of Clayton.
The Morgan Fire started about 2 p.m. near the 2430 block of Morgan Territory Road at Marsh Creek Road, according to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. The blaze initially burned about 2 acres before racing uphill through brush and timber on steep slopes.
By 4:40 p.m., Contra Costa County Fire Protection District officials issued an evacuation warning for residents in Zones CCC-249 and CCC-250, located between Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and Mount Diablo State Park.
No evacuation order had been issued as of Friday afternoon, but officials warned residents to prepare in case conditions worsened.
"Gather any important items you could carry with you, including medications, baby supplies, money, important papers, and photos," the fire district said in its emergency alert. "Locate any pets or animals and be prepared to cage or leash them. If you require additional time to evacuate, you should leave now."
Residents can check evacuation zones at protect.genasys.com and monitor emergency alerts at CWSAlerts.com.
The wildfire is burning in steep, rugged terrain where dry vegetation, hot temperatures, and uphill winds can accelerate fire growth and make firefighting more difficult.
As fire activity intensified, Air Attack requested additional aircraft to support crews on the ground. The response grew to include eight Type 1 air tankers and four helicopters, according to incident reports.
Firefighters from Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and Cal Fire continued attacking the three-alarm fire from the air and the ground Friday afternoon.
As of 3:20 p.m., officials had not reported any structures threatened or damaged, injuries, containment, or the cause of the fire.
The incident remained active late Friday, and fire officials said additional updates would be released as conditions changed.
Residents in the affected area are encouraged to stay alert, monitor official emergency notifications, and be prepared to leave immediately if an evacuation order is issued.
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