SAN FRANCISCO– California firefighters, aided by aircraft, battled a wind-driven wildfire Saturday in an area spanning the San Francisco Bay Area and central California, authorities said.
Gusty winds have fueled the burning Corral Fire near the city of Tracy, 60 miles (96 kilometers) east of San Francisco, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the city of Livermore, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal. Firework.
The fire grew to 18 square kilometers within hours, sending plumes of dark smoke high into the sky. It was 40% contained, Cal Fire said.
Interstate 580, which connects the San Francisco Bay Area to San Joaquin County in central California, was closed in both directions from Corral Hollow Road to Interstate 5 due to the lack of visibility from the smoke, the California Department of Transportation said in a statement.
The San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services issued an evacuation order, identifying the wildfire in an area east of Interstate 580. Residents between Corral Hollow Road and Tracy Boulevard were ordered to leave their homes, while residents south of Tracy Boulevard were told to be prepared to evacuate.