(SUNOL, Calif.)--A wildfire in Alameda County has burned approximately, 1,007 acres and was 10% contained as of Tuesday evening, which has prompted safety officials to issue evacuation orders in Sunol, Livermore and parts of Pleasanton.
Photo Credit: Alameda County Fire Department/ Facebook
Both the CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit and Alameda County Fire Department responded to the incident at Vallecitos Road and Little Valley Road. They responded at approximately 2:38 p.m in the unincorporated community of Sunol, according to the Alameda County Fire Department’s official social media post.
Multiple zones and sectors within Sunol and Pleasanton were ordered to evacuate effective immediately. Officials later lifted some evacuation orders as firefighters continued their efforts. Despite the positive outlook, there are still other areas where strict orders remain in place. Additional information about the wildfire's location displays it as being a vegetation fire near the former General Electric Vallecitos Nuclear Center.
“There is an immediate threat to life and property”, the Alameda County Sheriff's said in a social media post. Given the severity of the situation, health and safety officials are providing temporary shelter at the Pleasanton Senior Center located at 5353 Sunol Boulevard. Residents seeking additional lodging information can find hotel accommodations and other visitor resources at Visit Tri-Valley's website, visittrivalley.com. An update at 5:23 p.m. July 21 noted specific challenges fighting the fire, such as limited access and hot weather.
The update also noted that firefighters are currently utilizing their arsenal of crew members, bulldozers, engines, air tankers, and helicopters all to combat the spreading wildfire. Unfortunately, at least one firefighter has been injured while battling the blaze.
Photo Credit: Fire.Ca.Gov
Multiple social media posts, along with reports from residents across Tri-Valley, reported seeing smoke in the skies late afternoon on Tuesday evening.” I’m 5.5mi west of the fire and saw an incredibly smoky sky around 4 p.m.”, Howard, a Pleasanton resident, told OpGov.News. He mentioned that though he was outside the evacuation zone in a safer area, he’s been following the situation closely and has been informing other neighbors by sharing information online.
“All I did was collect information and post on Facebook and Nextdoor to inform anyone who couldn't sit and watch the news themselves”, he said. Howard further explained to OpGov.News that he had a friend who lost their home due to a fire several years ago and that by sharing helpful information, he was able to ease her anxiety and trauma after hearing about the Little Fire.
Currently, firefighters and public safety personnel are utilizing Genasys, a program proposed to streamline evacuations and communication. By dividing geographical locations into specific sectors and zones, first responders are able to accelerate execution and response times by 90%.
“The purpose of Genasys Protect is to provide the community with a public-facing platform to view the status of their zone. Emergency responders update the status of zones to communicate their appropriate level to the public,” Genasys notes on their official website.
Photo Credit: Fire.Ca.Gov
“I’m from a family of firefighters in Massachusetts so [I] was quite interested in its progress and the response” , Howard told OpGov.News. At this time, the cause of how the fire started is being determined and is under investigation according to CA.fire.gov.
This is a developing story. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at yikaileau.w@lead4earth.org
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