A fast-moving vegetation fire in Sunol Valley burned about 400 acres Tuesday afternoon, triggering evacuation orders in parts of the area near Pleasanton. The Little Fire was spreading at a moderate rate, with no containment reported at the time.
Authorities ordered residents in several zones to leave immediately, including the Ruby Hill neighborhood in Pleasanton. There were no immediate reports of damaged or destroyed structures.
Evacuation Areas Include Ruby Hill
Local municipalities issued mandatory evacuation orders for four zones and evacuation warnings for two additional zones. The orders warned of an immediate threat to life and said the affected areas were closed to public access.
| Evacuation Status | Zones | Noted Area |
|---|---|---|
| Evacuation order | ALC-072, PLS-080, PLS-081, PLS-103 | Includes Ruby Hill in Pleasanton |
| Evacuation warning | PLS-079, PLS-082 | Nearby affected areas |
Steep Ground Complicates Firefighting
Cal Fire SCU reported the fire at about 2:54 p.m. near Little Valley Road and Hubbard Lane, south of Pleasanton. Cal Fire and Alameda County Fire Department crews responded to the blaze.
According to www.ktvu.com, Battalion Chief Raul Medina said steep terrain and unpaved roads made the response more difficult. Air tankers were helping slow the fire’s spread, and Medina said crews were making good progress.
Heat and Dry Vegetation Raise Concerns
The fire began while a National Weather Service heat advisory remained in effect across the Bay Area through 9 p.m. Tuesday. Inland temperatures were expected to reach the mid-90s to low 100s.
KTVU meteorologist Rosemary Orozco said vegetation along the Sunol ridgeline was very dry. “When the grass and vegetation is already dry and preheated, it really just allows that fire to ignite and burn faster,” she said.
Orozco also said afternoon winds typically increase in the area. Those winds could complicate firefighting efforts and contribute to the fire’s spread.