See Smoke In Contra Costa? Fire In Sunol In Alameda County Grows To 700 Acres

Dry, windy conditions are driving a 700-acre brush fire that has prompted evacuations and is creeping toward Pleasanton’s Ruby Hill neighborhood on Tuesday evening. The Little Fire started about 2:40 p.m. near Vallecitos and Little Valley Roads in the Sunol area of Alameda County, according to Cal Fire. As of 6 p.m. there was zero containment on the blaze, which burning through dry brush in the hills and sending plumes of white smoke that can be seen for miles around. “Firefighters are being challenged by limited access and hot weather, attacking the fire from the ground with engines, crews, and bulldozers, and the air with tankers and helicopters,” Cal Fire said in an update at 5:20 p.m. Cal Fire, the Alameda County Fire Department and several other agencies have sent crews to assist, including the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department. There have been no reports of injuries or structures damaged in the fire. The blaze has prompted evacuation orders that include unincorporated areas in Sunol and the Ruby Hill neighborhood on the eastern edge of Pleasanton. Evacuation orders are in place for zones ALC-072, PLS-079, PLS-080, PLS-081 and PLS-103. Residents in those zones are asked to use State Route 84/Vallecitos Road or Happy Valley Road. A temporary shelter has been set up at the Pleasanton Senior Center, 5353 Sunol Blvd., according to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. The fire prompted the Bay Area Air District to issue an air quality advisory due to wildfire smoke on Tuesday evening.