SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – A 50-acre vegetation fire in the East Bay is a few hours away from full containment, and residents of a small town no longer need to stand by for a potential evacuation.
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Officials told residents and businesses in Port Costa, a census-designated place in Contra Costa Country of around 200 people, and nearby Crockett to prepare to evacuate after a fire started burning near Carquinez Scenic Drive on Thursday afternoon.
The Contra Costa Sheriff's Office Community Warning System gave Port Costa residents the all-clear at around 5 p.m.
In a briefing with reporters around that time, the Crockett-Carquinez Fire Department said they expected the fire's forward movement was expected to stop within a few hours. The CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit said just before 4:40 p.m. that the fire had grown to 50 acres.
Officials initially said Crockett residents didn't need to prepare to evacuate, but Crockett-Carquinez Fire Department Public Information Officer Steve Trotter told KCBS Radio's Jeff Bell and Patti Reising just after 4:50 p.m. that the town should stand by for a potential evacuation.
"I just drove through town," he said. "Clearly residents are heeding that warning and prepared if they haven't already left. We are feeling confident that we're slowing this fire, making some progress, but again, no containment at this time and we want people to be prepared."
The Crockett-Carquinez Fire Department tweeted just before 3 p.m. on Thursday that a vegetation fire was posing an "immediate threat to homes."
At 3:08 p.m., the CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit tweeted that firefighters were on the scene and aircraft measured the fire's size at 20 acres.
Joshua Redel, who works at Bull Valley Roadhouse in Port Costa, told KCBS Radio's Jeff Bell and Patti Reising on Thursday afternoon that a bartender on her way into the restaurant saw fire crews arrive at the blaze in the Bull Valley Staging Area at around 2:30 or 2:45 p.m. The "very thick" smoke was visible from Point Costa, and officials "put a car through town and put it on the loudspeaker" that people needed to evacuate.
"It is easy to catch on fire in the summer when there is all brush and eucalyptus trees," Redel said. "And as you may know, eucalyptus lights up like a Roman candle and is also non-native to the area."
Trotter, the Crockett-Carquinez Fire Department's public information officer, told KCBS Radio during an interview on Thursday afternoon soon after that officials had downgraded evacuation orders to warnings, asking residents to stand by for potential evacuations.
"Initially upon arrival with the fire conditions and initial resources on scene, we were looking at evacuating the town," Trotter said. "Once we had enough resources, including air support from CAL FIRE, we downgraded again to a standby, and we're prepared to evacuate if needed."
Trotter said the presence of CAL FIRE air support and other resources helped "substantially" slow the fire.
"It has really helped things," Trotter said of air support. "And like I said, initially upon arrival, officers were concerned with the nature of the fire and the erratic conditions. ... It's one of those things you want to get on top of right away."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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