By Zehra Nur Duz
A rapidly spreading grass fire that ignited on Saturday afternoon in San Joaquin County, California, has burned 14,000 acres, prompting evacuations, officials reported, according to local media.
The Corral Fire started in Tracy at around 2:30 p.m. local time, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said on X.
By Sunday afternoon, the fire was 30% contained, the department said, adding that the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Local authorities had recently cautioned that gusty winds, rising temperatures, and dry grass could create hazardous fire conditions, CNN reported.
Residents in the west of the California Aqueduct, south of Corral Hollow Creek, extending west to Alameda County and south to Stanislaus County should evacuate immediately, CNN quoted San Joaquin County officials as saying.
On Saturday evening, San Joaquin County officials urged Tracy residents closest to the Corral Fire to evacuate and inform others nearby that they “should be ready to leave,” according to CNN.
A temporary evacuation center has been established at Larch Clover Community Center for affected people.