A wildfire that broke out Sunday morning near the Maritime Academy in Vallejo is now burning in both Solano and Contra Costa counties after jumping across the Carquinez Strait. Both the bridge and I-80 have been closed as a result.
It's called the Glencove Fire, and it broke out around 9:30 a.m. in the vicinity of Glen Cove Parkway and Lookout Drive, south of Vallejo. As the Chronicle reports, two parked vehicles were burned in the fire but it had not yet burned any structures as of Sunday at noon, though multiple neighborhoods were threatened and residents were quickly evacuating. Toll takers on the Vallejo end of the Carquinez Bridge were told to leave their booths and the freeway was closed to traffic.
Sometime before 11 a.m., a grass fire apparently sparked by an ember blown across the strait broke out in Crockett, and residents south of Pomona Avenue and east of I-80 were put under a mandatory evacuation order, as Bay City News reports. Other residents of Crockett are on an evacuation warning, and a county fire official tells the Chronicle that winds are blowing the fire away from the center of town.
This second fire on the south side of the strait is being called the Sky Fire, and it had grown to 200 acres as of noon.
Amazingly, live footage appears to suggest #GlencoveFire in #Vallejo near Maritime Academy has *jumped the Carquinez Strait* due to strong winds. Fire headed at rapid rate of spread into #Crockett Hills. #CAwx #CAfire @NWSBayArea https://t.co/KkFajNPkm2
— Daniel Swain (@Weather_West) October 27, 2019
Please retweet! Do not head towards I-80 E Sacramento. We were headed to RENO and had to U turn on bridge flames everywhere! Stay safe!!! #fires #SonomaCounty Alfred Zampa bridge towards Vallejo pic.twitter.com/8bCVc00XUJ
— Mirna Cruz (@Mirnuhhh) October 27, 2019
Fire in Vallejo has burnt down to the water. There are Maritime Academy personnel actively fighting the fire. Fire burning actively under the Carquinez Bridge.#BREAKING #EMERGENCY #FIRE #Vallejo pic.twitter.com/BYbCbWnkgW
— Craig Rose (@SmokeShowing911) October 27, 2019
In the Middle of the Inferno #Vallejo #California I-80 Interstate 80 #californiawildfires right now Evacuations 🔥🚒⛔🛑⛔ pic.twitter.com/qCOok6As0G
— Máximo Alexander (@MaximoSPQR) October 27, 2019
The fire that started in Vallejo and jumped the bay is running alongside I-80. Fixed wing and rotary aircraft hitting it with impressive precision in strong swirling winds. pic.twitter.com/G5aBMQAYZG
— Rob Marciano (@RobMarciano) October 27, 2019
Carquinez Bridge #Vallejo 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5FcGIzjJqr
— Chris Lumanglas (@mulsirhc) October 27, 2019
The fire doesn't yet appear as a named incident on the Chronicle's new fire-tracking map, but the hot spot does appear just south of Vallejo.