TRACY — Firefighters gained ground Sunday on a wind-driven wildfire that scorched thousands of acres 60 miles east of San Francisco, burned down a home and forced residents to flee the area near Tracy.
Evacuation orders in the area of the Corral Fire near Tracy were reduced to warnings as of 6 p.m. Sunday as the fire held at 14,168 acres and 50% containment, according to Cal Fire.
Residents are advised to remain vigilant and prepared for potential changes, however.
READ MORE: Fast spread of Corral Fire surprised emergency crews, area residents
Cal Fire said road closures would continue to be enforced for nonresidents on South Corral Hollow Road and Chrisman Road south of Interstate 580.
Interstate 580 between Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 opened up again in both directions after closing due to the blaze, California Highway Patrol said at 7:30 p.m.
The wildfire began Saturday at about 2:30 p.m. east of a Lawrence Livermore Laboratory site in San Joaquin County and reached 14,000 acres by Sunday afternoon.
Residents east of Highway 580 between Corral Hollow Road and South Tracy Boulevard were the first ones told to evacuate by the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services.
“Firefighters have made good progress constructing and improving control lines,” Cal Fire said on social media Sunday afternoon.
Thousands of people in the area, including parts of the city of Tracy, were ordered to leave for evacuation centers.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Josh Silveira said Sunday afternoon the fire “burned right up the homes” in the area and destroyed one house. With calmer winds and milder weather Sunday, Silveira said he didn’t expect the fire to grow.
Two firefighters suffered minor to moderate burns on Saturday and were expected to make a full recovery, Silveira said.
The wildfire presented no threat to any laboratory facilities or operations and had moved away from the site, Lawrence Livermore spokesperson Paul Rhien said in a statement to the Associated Press early Sunday.
“As a precaution, we have activated our emergency operations center to monitor the situation through the weekend,” Rhien said.
Nearly 400 firefighters assisted by air tankers were fighting the fire.
A temporary evacuation point was established at at Larch Clover Community Center located at 11157 W Larch Road in Tracy.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
