(UPDATED at 11:25 a.m. PDT September 29, 2016)
The Loma Fire south of the Silicon Valley in northern California continued to spread to the east Thursday and Thursday night, growing more than 1,000 acres to a total of approximately 4,200 acres.
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(UPDATED at 8:12 a.m. PDT September 28, 2016)
The video below of the Loma Fire was broadcast live by UPS driver Carlos Daniel Canche on the afternoon of September 26 apparently soon after it started near Loma Chiquita Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Jose, California. There is discussion in the video’s comments about the popping noises heard in the video. According to Matt Streck with CAL FIRE, the Loma Fire began as a structure fire, so the popping could be ammunition going off as the structure burns. Other items at structure fires also make popping noises, like aerosol cans, tires, and small propane tanks without relief valves. Trees do not explode in fires.
The Loma Fire has burned about 3,100 acres as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, an increase of about 2,000 acres over the previous 24 hours. In addition to the house at which the fire originated, six outbuildings have been destroyed.
Mandatory evacuations are still in place for some areas in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The fire is burning in the Mt. Loma Prieta, Mt. Chual and Uvas Creek drainages.
Continue reading “Loma Fire causes evacuations south of San Jose, Calif.”
