14 DAY TRIAL // A wildfire on Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County has prompted evacuations in the area, as fire department officials struggle to contain the blaze.
According to KGO, the fire at Mount Diablo State Park threatens about 75 structures, as well as power lines and cell phone towers.
Lewis Broschard with the East Bay Incident Management Team said yesterday that progress could be made during nighttime.
"Temperatures usually go down, humidity rises, it gives us a little bit better chance to get in there and do some direct as well as indirect attack," Broschard mentioned.
Communities near Clayton have been prompted to leave the area. Residents on Curry Canyon Road, Oak Hill Lane and a major portion of the Curry Point area were ordered to evacuate after 1 p.m.
The owners of 50 to 75 Clayton homes were asked to leave their properties while some 250 firefighters from the Bay Area are taking part in the effort to salvage the town.
"I heard noise coming from below the house. [...] And so I walked out and looked down and you could see the flames coming up the hill," one local describes.
Volunteers add that residents have struggled to gather their animals, while KTVU reports that, by 11 p.m. last night, only 10 percent of the blaze was contained.
"The officer told us there's one horse back here that does need to be evacuated and they can't locate the owner so we're going to take the horse back to our ranch in Brentwood," Steve Henkel says.
No injuries have been reported as of yet. Gayle Schwarts is happy because she could get her dog out of the house in time.
"She made it out, she's doing good, she's just a little nervous," she tells reporters.