Containment grows on Little Fire burning near Pleasanton, Sunol; over 1,000 acres burned

By Carlos E. Castañeda

Containment has grown Wednesday morning on a brush fire that started Tuesday afternoon near Pleasanton and Sunol in Alameda County, but some evacuation orders remain in effect, according to Cal Fire.

Fire in Pleasanton, Sunol designated as Little Fire

Just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, Cal Fire SCU said crews were heading to the area of Little Valley Road and Hubbard Lane, south of Pleasanton for a vegetation fire. The fire, designated the Little Fire, grew to 75 acres about an hour later, and the first evacuation order was issued.

More evacuation orders quickly followed just after 4 p.m. as the acreage burned had doubled, and two additional zones were put under a warning. The warnings were upgraded just before 5 p.m. as the fire quickly burned hundreds more acres.

As of about 8 a.m. Wednesday, Cal Fire reported that the fire has burned 1,007 acres and is 40% contained.

“Forward rate of spread has been stopped, firefighters continue to strengthen containment lines,” the agency said in its Wednesday morning update.

Officials said one firefighter sustained minor injures when a Cal Fire engine rolled over. The firefighter, who was taken to the hospital, has since been released.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the fire.  

in Pleasanton, Sunol

• Up-to-date evacuation information can be found on Cal Fire’s Little Fire incident page and at Genasys Protect, which shows evacuation zones on a map.   

Several evacuation orders were lifted Tuesday night. The Alameda County Office of Emergency Services said people in zones PLS-079, PLS-82 and ALC-072 could return home.

Around 11:50 p.m. Tuesday, officials announced that the evacuation for zone PLS-080 was lifted. Meanwhile, evacuation orders remain in effect for zones PLS-081 and PLS-103.

An evacuation order was initially issued for Zone ALC-072, the area north of State Route 84 / Vallecitos Road, east of Interstate Highway 680, and south of Callippe Golf Course in Sunol. 

Around 5 p.m. the evacuation order was expanded north and east to Zones PLS-103, PLS-081, and PLS-080, areas east of the golf course and west of Isabel Avenue, which includes the exclusive Ruby Hill gated community on the eastern edge of Pleasanton. 

Zones PLS-082 and PLS-079 in Pleasanton were also issued evacuation orders after first being given evacuation warnings. The areas are south of Vineyard Avenue and east of Bernal Avenue and the Vintage Hills neighborhood.

Temporary shelter for those who evacuated was available at the Pleasanton Senior Center, at 5353 Sunol Blvd. For people who need temporary or emergency lodging, there were resources available through the Tri-Valley program, officials said.

Weather and limited access hinder fire attack

Cal Fire said that firefighters were being challenged by limited access and hot weather, and were attacking the fire on the ground with engines, crews, and bulldozers, and in the air with tankers and helicopters. The agency said it was a unified command with the Alameda County Fire Department.

The Oakland Fire Department said it was providing a mutual aid response with about 25 firefighters headed to Pleasanton as of 5:30 p.m.

Smoke from the Little Fire was expected to impact air quality in the East Bay, the Bay Area Air District said. The district urged residents in affected areas to stay alert to news coverage and health warnings related to smoke. Pollution levels were not expected to exceed the national 24-hour health standard and a Spare the Air alert was not in effect. 

Air quality can be monitored at fire.airnow.gov.