California Fire Update: I-580 Closed Near Altmont Pass Amid Evacuations

Highway 580 has been closed near the Altmont Pass due to a massive wildfire that grew to over 500 acres Sunday evening.

According to Alameda County Fire officials, the fire was burning on both sides of I-580 near Grant Line Road in Alameda County. As of 7.20 p.m. local time (10.20 p.m. EDT) 20 percent fire had been contained.

California Highway Patrol said the fire was reported around 6 p.m. local time (9 p.m. EDT) and there was no visibility on the freeway. Commuters were forced to turn around before the Altamont Pass due to thick smoke and flames along both sides of the freeway.

“We jumped off 580W and went rogue with a bunch of cars and trucks and drove across the grass to get on the 580 E back to Tracy. Glad we didn’t wait, they shut down the freeway both sides shortly after,” Mercy, a commuter tweeted.

“580 now closed in both directions AKa we just mass exited the freeway via the on ramp,” Ashley Cummins, another commuter tweeted.

“It didn’t look very big, and I certainly didn’t think the fire would be right on top of the freeway,” San Francisco Chronicle reporter Erin Allday said, adding “People started turning around and going the opposite direction on the freeway, and that’s never a good sign.”

“They weren’t very high flames, but they were right at the edge of the freeway, and you could feel the heat,” she said, local daily San Francisco Gate reported.

No injuries have been reported so far.

Southbound Highway 101 in Gilroy, California, which was shut for a few hours due to a big rig fire was re-opened at 6.50 p.m. local time (9:50 p.m. EDT).

Unrelated to the wildfire, the fire was reported around 3.35 p.m. local time (6.35 p.m. EDT) Sunday in an area known as Sargent's overcrossing bridge.

California Highway Patrol said as soon as the fire was reported, both southbound lanes were closed. As of 5 p.m. local time (8 p.m. EDT) all lanes on 101 were closed and vehicles driving on Highway 101 were diverted onto Highway 25.

The fire also started a small grass fire on the Northbound side of 101, but, that was put off quickly, local daily KSBW reported.

According to California Highway Patrol, the cause of the fire is still unknown. A truck caught fire near the bridge, however, no injuries have been reported.

Meanwhile, the Klamathon Fire that broke out near Hornbrook in Siskiyou County, California, Thursday has grown to 30,500 acres and leapt into Oregon overnight. 25 percent of the fire that killed one person in their home and destroyed 72 structures, has been contained.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) said the fire continues to burn moderately to the southeast and is threatening two power plants at Iron Gate Reservoir and Copco Lake Reservoir, local daily ABC 12 reported.