Firefighters on Monday continued battling a string of wildfires in rural areas of Contra Costa, Alameda and Napa counties, which have so far forced residents in more than 150 homes to evacuate.
The National Weather Service issued Red Flag warnings across much of Northern California as extreme heat and the threat of continued widespread thunderstorms raised the risk of more lightning-sparked fires.
In Contra Costa County, four blazes burning on the northeast side of Mount Diablo — collectively called the Deer Zone Fires — are believed to have been ignited by lightning strikes early Sunday.
As of Monday morning, the fires had burned 1,161 acres of vegetation and were 0% contained, according to Cal Fire.
Residents in the area were ordered to evacuate at about 9:20 p.m. Sunday after what firefighters said was a “change in behavior” of the fire, according to the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District. The orders cover as many as 200 houses along the length of Morgan Territory Road south to the Alameda County line and along Marsh Creek Road from Bragdon Way east to the Round Valley Regional Preserve parking lot, including the Clayton Palms mobile home community about three miles southwest of Brentwood.