Wildfire burning in Ed Levin County Park 80 percent contained

MILPITAS >> Firefighters made substantial progress overnight on a wildfire burning in Ed Levin County Park east of Milpitas and now have the blaze 80 percent contained, authorities said Monday morning.

The blaze, dubbed the Country fire, has burned 320 acres, Cal Fire said.

Overnight Sunday, firefighters took advantage of a “normal Bay Area evening” consisting of cooler temperatures and a rise in relative humidity to draw a containment line around the majority of the fire, Santa Clara County Fire Capt. Bill Murphy said.

There is still a small section along the southern edge of the fire that does not have a containment line established, Murphy said.

“We’re going to get try and get in there today and get line all the way around it,” Murphy said Monday.

Resources from the California Department of Forestry, Fremont and Milpitas fire departments, San Francisco public utilities crews, and a South Bay incident management team with members from the Mountain View, San Jose, Santa Clara County and Spring Valley fire departments were all responded to the blaze.

About 250 firefighters responded aboard 25 engines, two water tenders, two helicopters, four hand crews and four bulldozers. After cutting lines, many worked to contain flames as weather conditions, including slackening winds, temperatures and humidity, helped out.

The fire was reported at about 1 p.m. Sunday in the Calaveras hills east of the city limits above Scott Creek Road near Ed Levin County Park. By Sunday evening, the fire was burning within the park in heavy brush with steep drainage, posing risk to a Mount Allison communication base.

At least one outbuilding, a barn, was destroyed by fire, according to Cal Fire assistant chief Jim Crawford. Fewer than 10 structures are threatened, Cal Fire said.

Evacuation orders for two ranch properties were being carried out along Weller Road east of Levin County Park, and there were no other reports of injuries or damaged houses, Crawford said. Road closures were Weller and Downing roads at Old Calaveras Road, Cal Fire said.