Little Fire near Pleasanton explodes to 700 acres; check out Alameda County evacuation map, videos
Update: As of Tuesday night, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the blaze in Pleasanton had expanded to 950 acres. In several areas of southeast Alameda County, evacuation orders were still in force.
The Little Fire was just 10% contained and was still burning close to Vallecitos and Little Valley roads in the rural southeast.
Initial report: Scary videos have emerged as firefighters battle the rapidly spreading Little Fire in California’s Alameda County. The blaze, burning near Sunol and threatening parts of Pleasanton, had grown to about 700 acres with 0% containment by Tuesday evening.
Officials warned that dry vegetation, low humidity and gusty winds were fueling extreme fire behavior.
The fire, officially named the Little Fire, broke out around 2:45 pm near Vallecitos Road and Little Valley Road in the Sunol area, south of Pleasanton.
Fire crews from the Alameda County Fire Department, Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department and CAL FIRE quickly responded as flames spread across dry grasslands.
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Evacuations ordered as fire heads toward Pleasanton
An estimate shown on the Genasys evacuation map indicated that the evacuation region included around 4,900 residents.
The number of persons who had left their homes was not immediately apparent at the time of reporting.
Highway 84, sometimes referred to as Happy Valley Road or Vallecitos Road, has been instructed to be used by evacuees. The Pleasanton Senior Center, located at 5353 Sunol Blvd., has opened a temporary shelter, per the San Francisco Chronicle.
Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders for several zones as the blaze advanced toward populated areas. The evacuation zones include ALC-072, PLS-080, PLS-081 and PLS-103, covering unincorporated Sunol and the Ruby Hill neighborhood on Pleasanton’s eastern edge.
Evacuation warnings were also issued for PLS-079 and PLS-082 as firefighters worked to slow the fire’s advance. Officials urged residents to leave immediately if ordered and monitor local emergency alerts for updates.
The Livermore Police Department said officers have been deployed at CAL FIRE’s request to assist evacuation efforts alongside regional emergency agencies.
“The Little Fire is currently burning outside the City of Livermore and in the Sunol/Pleasanton area,” the department said in a statement on X. Authorities stressed that no evacuation orders currently affect the City of Livermore, but urged residents to stay alert and follow official instructions.
Officials also requested that residents avoid calling police dispatch for fire updates so emergency lines remain available for urgent calls.
Residents can check real-time updates and the evacuation map here.
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Videos show heavy smoke as weather fuels fire growth
Videos shared on social media captured towering smoke plumes and rapidly advancing flames across dry vegetation near Sunol. Independent weather observers reported that the wildfire displayed very active fire behavior.
According to The New York Times, temperatures reached around 91°F (33°C) with winds up to 15 mph and very low relative humidity, creating conditions favourable for rapid fire spread.
The fire was raging near a defunct nuclear site. NorthStar, the facility’s owner, stated that it was looking into the situation.
According to PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian, “the fire is under investigation, and it has not impacted our assets at this time.”