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2 firefighters hurt as San Joaquin County grass fire burns thousands of acres, prompts evacuations

Two firefighters were injured while battling the blaze, according to a CAL Fire Battalion Chief. One firefighter had moderate injuries and the other minor injuries.

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. — Get Sunday's updates at /article/news/local/wildfire/corral-fire-tracy-sunday-latest/103-5fcc111f-be6e-4f9a-ad25-d8ae8e40904b

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Cal Fire crews are working a large grass fire in San Joaquin County near Tracy Saturday. 

Firefighters are working near the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site along Corral Hollow Road. The fire is named the Corral Fire. 

Multiple Evacuation Orders were issued, spanning from area west of the CA Aqueduct, south of Corral Hollow Creek, west to Alameda County and south to Stanislaus County, according to the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services. Officials are urging anyone in the area to evacuate immediately.

A temporary evacuation site will be at Larch Clover Community Center at 11157 W Larch Road in Tracy.

The fire has burned 11,047 acres and is currently 13% contained, according to Cal Fire SCU. Caltrans says I-580 closed from the Alameda County line to the Stanislaus County Line. SR-132 also closed from I-580 to SR 33.

Two firefighters were injured while battling the blaze, according to CAL FIRE Battalion Chief Josh Silveira. One firefighter had moderate injuries and the other had minor injuries. Both were taken to the hospital for treatment and evaluation. 

Michael Padilla spokesperson for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a nuclear, chemical and biological weapons research and development center, says Site 300 outside of Tracy is not threatened by the fire.

“The fire has moved away from the site. There was no on or off site contamination,” he said. “As a precaution, LLNL has activated their emergency operations center to monitor the situation through the weekend.”

The cause of the fire is being investigated. 

STAY INFORMED:

EVACUATIONS:

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WILDFIRE PREPS

According to Cal Fire, the 2022 fire season was quieter than previous years, but there were still several significant fires. January 2022 saw just one major incident with the Colorado Fire in Monterey County burning 687 acres. Fires picked up in May when the Lost Lake Fire burned through 5,856 acres. The largest fire in 2022, the Mosquito Fire, started in early September. It burned through more than 76,000 acres in El Dorado and Placer counties. 

Overall, 331,360 acres burned in 2022 from 7,477 wildfires — well below the five-year average of 2.3 million acres. Over 870 structures were affected and nine people were killed, all civilians.  

If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.

WATCH: What you need to know to prepare, stay safe for wildfires

The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, and supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and knowing your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.

Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, visit www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts. 

Read more: Are you wildfire ready? Here's what to do to prepare for fire season.

PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.

What questions do you have about the latest wildfires? If you're impacted by the wildfires, what would you like to know? Text the ABC10 team at (916) 321-3310.

WATCH MORE: New details about a grass fire that damaged two Stockton homes

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