The Corral Fire, California’s largest wildfire so far this year, is now 75% contained after burning over 22 square miles of grasslands between San Francisco Bay and the Central Valley.
The fire started on Saturday afternoon on land managed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and is currently under investigation for its cause.
The big picture: Evacuation orders were initially issued for thousands of people in the area, including parts of the city of Tracy. However, the orders were lifted as improved weather conditions allowed firefighters to make progress.
- While the wildfire destroyed one home and injured two firefighters, it posed no threat to the laboratory facilities or operations of Lawrence Livermore, according to the Associated Press.
Zoom out: California experienced back-to-back wet years that resulted in vegetation growth.
- The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection noted that increasing dryness during May and June may lead to more small and potentially larger fires, depending on the wind.
- The Corral Fire is the largest among the 1,200 wildfires that have occurred in California thus far in 2024.
- The containment progress of the Corral Fire comes ahead of a major heat wave predicted for the region. The National Weather Service has issued warnings for “dangerously hot conditions” in the Central Valley from Tuesday through Thursday.
