OAKLAND, Calif. — Firefighters worked to contain a wildfire burning near Morgan Territory and Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County as evacuation warnings remained in effect for nearby communities, California fire officials said.
The blaze, named the Morgan Fire, started Friday near the intersection of Morgan Territory Road and Marsh Creek Road on the eastern side of Mount Diablo. Officials said improved aerial mapping revised the fire's estimated size to 51 acres after earlier reports placed it at around 100 acres. The fire remained 0% contained as of the latest official update, and its cause was under investigation.
The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and local emergency officials issued evacuation warnings for zones CCC-249 and CCC-250, advising residents to prepare to leave if fire conditions worsen. Authorities emphasized that the notices were warnings rather than mandatory evacuation orders but urged people who may need extra time to evacuate, including those with pets or livestock, to leave early if necessary.
Fire crews deployed both ground personnel and aircraft to slow the fire's spread through dry vegetation in rugged terrain near Mount Diablo. Air tankers and helicopters conducted repeated water and retardant drops while firefighters established containment lines, according to fire officials.
Authorities said there were no confirmed reports of injuries, fatalities, or structures damaged or destroyed. Officials also said no structures had been identified as threatened in the latest incident updates.
The fire produced a large plume of smoke visible across parts of the East Bay, including from San Francisco. Weather conditions featuring warm temperatures, dry vegetation and afternoon winds contributed to elevated fire danger, although surface winds remained relatively light, according to local weather information cited by fire officials.
The Morgan Fire is burning in an area that experienced a much larger wildfire in 2013, though officials have not indicated any connection between the incidents. The current blaze is being managed by local agencies with support coordinated through CAL FIRE, which noted the incident is not under direct CAL FIRE command but is providing public updates.
As of the latest official reports, evacuation warnings remained in place, firefighting operations continued by air and ground, and investigators had not determined the cause of the wildfire.
