The SCU Lightning Complex Fire burned about 56,000 acres of Henry W. Coe State Park—about two-thirds of the park’s territory—but authorities say the blaze was good for the long-term health of the vast wilderness ecosystem.
On Aug. 28, CalFire lifted an evacuation warning zone in east Morgan Hill and Gilroy, including the Morgan Hill neighborhoods of Jackson Oaks, Thomas Grade and Holiday Lake Estates.
If South Valley residents are seeing even more smoke than usual today, it’s likely because CalFire has begun setting controlled burns in east Santa Clara County as they continue to fight the SCU Lightning Complex.
Firefighters made significant progress against the SCU Complex in the past day, bringing 25 percent of it under control and allowing Cal Fire to east more evacuation orders.
CalFire and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office have established a process for livestock owners to access their evacuated properties to remove or care for their animals as the SCU Complex burns in the eastern part of the county.
These efforts include extensive work inside Henry W. Coe State Park, using bulldozers to cut a 60-foot firebreak inside the park, well in front of the flames.
Lightning-sparked fires spawned by last weekend’s freak storms have since consumed 500,000 acres in and around the Bay Area and show no sign of letting up.
Santa Clara Valley residents ordered to evacuate to escape the SCU Lightning Complex fire can find shelter at the Milpitas Library starting at 5pm this evening.