California wildfire home hardening can help limit damage from wind-driven embers that enter vents, collect in gutters or ignite nearby debris. CAL FIRE recommends a five-foot ember-resistant zone, regular maintenance and fire-resistant upgrades statewide. Wind-driven embers can ignite homes far from flames   California homeowners are being urged to strengthen properties ag

Bay Area Fourth of July events 2026 include fireworks, parades, concerts, drone shows and family festivals across Northern California. The roundup, updated at 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, lists events scheduled around Independence Day on Saturday, July 4, 2026. All event times listed are local Bay Area time. Bay Area Fourth of July events 2026 San Francisco’s Fourth of July fireworks are scheduled for 9:30 p.m., with recommended viewi

A Medline warehouse fire in Tracy, California, destroyed a major medical supply distribution facility on Thursday, June 11, 2026, forcing nearby evacuations and triggering a large emergency response in San Joaquin County. The fire was reported just before 1:00 PM local time at a Medline Industries distribution facility on the 5700 block of Promontory Parkway. Firefighters arrived to find a rapidly growing roof fire at the roughly 1 million-square-foot warehouse.

The Pass Fire near Livermore burned 69 acres after starting near Altamont Pass Road in Alameda County, California, at 12:03 PM PDT on Sunday, May 17, 2026, according to CAL FIRE. CAL FIRE’s Santa Clara Unit handled the response to the vegetation fire near Altamont, northeast of Livermore. The agency said the cause remained under investigation, and no incident management team was assigned. Fire Started Near Altamont Pass Road

Hundreds of homeowners in the Berkeley Hills are being directed to remove vegetation surrounding their homes as part of a newly enforced wildfire prevention measure that took effect at the beginning of the year. The regulation, which became active on January 1, requires properties to maintain a clear buffer zone to reduce the risk of fire spreading in residential areas prone to wildfires. Under the new fire safety rules, all combustible vegetation and growth must be cleared within f

San Jose firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire early Monday morning at a Buddhist temple on Foss Avenue that had already sustained significant damage during a major blaze last year, according to fire officials. Crews were dispatched at approximately 5:37 a.m. to the 90 block of Foss Avenue after reports of a structure fire at Chua Duyen Giac, a large, two-story mixed-use Buddhist temple located in the Alum Rock area. Firefighters arriving on scene encountered heavy fire condi

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District is inviting residents to join its free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Academy this September. The 27-hour multi-day program is designed to teach practical skills that can save lives during disasters. Participants will learn fire safety, medical triage, light search and rescue, disaster preparedness, and team organization techniques that can be applied in real emergencies.

Thousands of residents in Northern California’s wine country and central Oregon are under evacuation orders and warnings as massive wildfires continue to spread in dangerously hot and dry conditions. Firefighters are battling around the clock to contain flames that have consumed homes, scorched land, and forced families to flee. The combination of steep terrain, dried-out vegetation, and triple-digit temperatures has created a dangerous setting for both r

A fast-moving vegetation fire has erupted in Napa County, consuming approximately 50 acres north of Lake Berryessa by late Friday morning. The incident, officially named the Berry Fire, began around 10:50 a.m. in the area surrounding Berryessa Knoxville Road. Fire authorities have confirmed that as of the most recent update, the blaze is at 0% containment and continues to burn with a moderate rate of spread, posing challenges for firefighting teams operating in

Fire crews throughout California are preparing for increased wildfire danger as hot, dry weather and gusty winds are forecast to arrive later this week. The expected combination of rising temperatures and strong wind gusts on Thursday and Friday is raising alarms among fire officials who are already engaged in active firefighting operations in several parts of the state. With wildfire conditions set to intensify, agencies are urging the public to remain alert and prepared. Two maj

San Jose officials have canceled this year’s Independence Day fireworks celebration at Almaden Lake Park, marking the first interruption of the popular event in a decade. The decision comes after serious safety concerns were raised following incidents during last year’s celebration, which drew more than 30,000 visitors to the neighborhood. For longtime resident Cathie Bacosa, the cancellation is a relief. Last July 4, she awoke around midnight to a fire raging in her b

As the Bay Area braces for hotter temperatures and an increased risk of wildfires, fire safety has become a growing concern in the Berkeley Hills. This elevated risk has led to the introduction of the EMBER proposal—Effective Mitigations for Berkeley Ember Resilience—an initiative aimed at making homes more fire-resilient. However, the proposal has ignited strong reactions among residents, with some questioning its feasibility and fairness. George Perez Velez, a lon

A fast-moving grass fire that broke out Thursday afternoon near Livermore, California, has scorched 261.8 acres but is now reported to be 60% contained, according to the Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD). Known as the Midway Fire, it started around 2:51 p.m. near Patterson Pass Road and Midway Road, just outside of Mountain House. As of 6:03 p.m. on Thursday, forward progress of the fire had been stopped. Initial containment efforts were quickly escalated as the fire jumped the

A vehicle fire in the Caldecott Tunnel on Wednesday afternoon led to the temporary closure of eastbound lanes on Highway 24, causing significant traffic delays for commuters traveling between Oakland and Orinda. The incident occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m., when a vehicle caught fire approximately 400 feet into Bore 1 of the tunnel. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Caltrans responded promptly to the scene, coordinating with the Oakland Fire Department to manage the situation.