Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for
Santa Clara County as flames crossed the county line and advanced
into Uvas Canyon County Park.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency for Santa Clara County as flames crossed the county line and advanced into Uvas Canyon County Park.
By Saturday afternoon, the fire advanced toward Croy Road west of rural Morgan Hill.
The blaze, which investigators believe started in an empty lot off Summit Road Thursday morning, has now destroyed 28 homes and commercial buildings and charred 3,500 acres, 200 of those within county jurisdiction, said Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services Director Kirstin Hofmann.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, another 550 residential and 20 commercial buildings are threatened.
The fire was 25 percent contained as of 5 p.m., Hofmann said.
Meanwhile, the American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter at Live Oak High School for up to 200 people as of about 11 a.m., but no one had arrived by 5 p.m.
In the community of Sveadal, about 50 homes were evacuated. To accommodate the new evacuees, a shelter has been set up at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill.
About five volunteers waited at the school’s gymnasium, including Mo Ghandehari.
“We’ve been ready to go,” Ghandehari said, standing in the empty gym, his voice echoing. Behind him, another volunteer sat at a sign-in station, and in the entry hall beyond snacks were set up and ready to serve to evacuees.
“We have a nurse on call, as well as a mental health specialist,” Ghandehari said. “We’ll be operating (this shelter) until we’re told otherwise.”
Since an emergency was called, Hofmann said CalFire pulled in firefighters from Northern and Central California to fight battle what has been dubbed the
Summit Fire.
Current road closures, as of 5 p.m. Saturday, are Hazel Dell Road, Croy Road – where 50 residents were evacuated because of the fire’s proximity – Eureka
Canyon, Loma Prieta Road and Buzzard Lagoon Road, according to a county news release.
Rural residents west of Morgan Hill living hoped for the best as the wind shifted.
Eric Hilding, who lives about three miles from Uvas Reservoir, was grateful the weather had cooled and that firefighters are doing “an excellent job”
fighting the inferno.
Investigators believe they pinpointed the spot where the fire was sparked early Thursday morning: an empty lot in the woods along Summit Road, near Maymen’s Flat.
