Evacuation orders issued; shelter opens in Tracy. What to know to stay safe.

California firefighters are battling the fast-moving Corral Fire that started on Saturday near the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site’s 300 and within a few hours had blown up to 10,000 acres and is threatening homes southwest of Tracy.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection does not yet know what caused the fire. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

The San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services has expanded an evacuation order for residents who are near the Corral Fire that is burning southwest of Tracy.

Evacuation orders are in place for residents who live:

• West of the California Aqueduct

• South of Corral Hollow Creek

• West to Alameda County and South to Stanislaus County

Where to go for shelter

• A temporary evacuation point is at Larch Clover Community Center, 11157 W. Larch Road in Tracy.

• A large animal shelter is at the Manteca Unified School District, 2271 W. Louise Ave. in Manteca.

What to know about the Corral Fire

The Corral Fire was reported at 2:39 p.m. off West Corral Hollow in Alameda and San Joaquin counties.

The fire has consumed 10,000 acres near Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site 300, southwest of Tracy, according to the most recent report released by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection just before 11 p.m. Containment is at 13%.

The cause of the fire is unknown and remains under investigation.

How to sign up for emergency alerts

To sign up for the San Joaquin County emergency alert system, residents can go to San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services’ website, sjready.org, to register for the system.

Residents can also view the latest information on evacuation orders and evacuation maps on the website.

Preparing for wildfire evacuations

If residents have time before evacuating, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection suggests the following steps to give their homes the best chance of surviving the wildfire:

Inside the house

• Pack your ‘go bag’ or emergency kit, and have it ready to grab.

• Check that your wildfire action plan is up-to-date.

• Know your community’s emergency plan, evacuation routes, and destinations.

• Close all windows and doors, but leave them unlocked.

• Take down flammable window treatments like shades and curtains, and close metal shutters.

• Clear away light curtains.

• Move anything that burns easily to the middle of rooms, away from windows and doors.

• Turn off the gas at the meter and pilot lights.

• Leave lights on for firefighters to see your house in smoke.

• Switch off the air conditioning.

Outside the house

• Bring in flammable items from outside, like patio furniture, toys, doormats, and trash bins. Alternatively, place them in your pool.

• Shut off propane tanks.

• Move grills and other propane BBQ appliances away from the house.

• Attach garden hoses to outside taps for firefighter use and fill buckets with water to scatter around.

• Don’t leave sprinklers or water running as it can lower critical water pressure.

• Keep exterior lights on to make your home visible in smoky or dark conditions.

• Put your emergency kit in your car.

• Park your car in the driveway, facing outwards, loaded and ready, with all doors and windows shut.

• Have a ladder handy for firefighter roof access.

• Seal attic and ground vents with plywood or commercial seals.

• Keep an eye on the fire situation and don’t wait for an evacuation order if you feel at risk.

• Check with neighbors to ensure they’re also prepared.

Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Corral Fire forces evacuations; shelter opens in Tracy