California's Lafayette Fire Burns Tennis Club, Forces Evacuations

Residents in the Lafayette area were forced to evacuate on Sunday, October 27, because of a wildfire that severely damaged the Lafayette Tennis Club building and two other structures nearby, officials said.

The seven-acre fire burned near Camino Diablo and Springbrook Road north of Highway 24 on the eastern side of Lafayette.

Contra Costa County activated its community warning system through email, asking the residents on the north and south sides of the freeway, east of Pleasant Hill Road to evacuate immediately and head over to Springhill Elementary School.

The homeowners were asked to take essential items, lock their windows and doors before leaving, carry their pets in a carrier or a leash, and stay off the phones unless reporting an emergency The firefighters cleared the area and the evacuation orders were lifted for streets south of Highway 24 around 4:30 p.m. and for residents living on the north of Highway 24 just after 7 p.m. as the blaze was reported to be 40 percent contained.

This was one of the many fires that razed the East Bay on Sunday, almost at the same time as powerful winds led Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to shut off service to thousands of residents.

According to Captain George Laing, spokesperson for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, the fire started after 2 p.m. Laing added that callers reported a fire bush on a hillside near Pleasant Hill Road that started moving towards the highway.

Flames jumped the highway to the eastbound lane side near the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station. BART alerts announced that no stops were being made at the Lafayette station of the bus link between Orinda and Walnut Creek stations due to the mandatory fire department evacuations.

"County Connection’s No. 6 would provide mutual-aid service between Orinda and Lafayette," BART added. The bus bridge resumed full service to the Lafayette station around 4 p.m.

"The main building and two outbuildings at the Lafayette Tennis Club on Camino Diablo was damaged. The fire also destroyed the roof and chimney of a home," Laing had said.

The official added that about 100 firefighters deployed in the area doused the charred remains at around 3:45 p.m. with only a few walls intact. The surrounding tennis courts were also left unharmed.

The fire had calmed down by late afternoon even as winds continued to gust through the neighborhood. The Contra Costa fire district said several units would stand guard overnight for wind gusts that might pick up embers.

Toppled branches littered the city streets and Highway 24. Funnels of leaves likewise showered the roads. Popular walking trails in these towns were also temporarily closed due to fire risks.