Record heat sears state for second day
Northern California’s largest wildfire grew in size Tuesday as record-breaking temperatures scorched the Bay Area, but crews made progress in containing the Yolo County blaze, officials said.
The Sand Fire near the community of Guinda had grown to 2,512 acres as of Tuesday evening, while containment reached 70%, according to Cal Fire. The blaze started Saturday afternoon and quickly grew over the weekend from 100 acres to 2,220 acres by Sunday. It has destroyed seven non-residential structures, officials said. Highway 16 between Rumsey Canyon Road and Highway 20 remained closed Tuesday.
A scorching heat wave caused stores to sell out of air conditioners and fans, as Bay Area residents sought relief from the sweltering conditions. Ten Bay Area locations broke historical temperature records and two locations tied previous records, according to National Weather Service data reports.
Downtown San Francisco tied a record-high of 92 degrees on Tuesday, a record originally set 142 years ago in 1877. The community of Kentfield in Marin County also tied a previous record of 100 degrees, set in 1985.
Oakland reached a high of 98 degrees Tuesday, wiping out the previous June 11 record of 85 degrees, set in 2008. San Jose’s airport topped a 115-year-old record of 98 degrees when thermometers reached 99, and San Francisco’s airport recorded a sizzling 99 degrees, replacing a record of 88 degrees set in 1985. Napa beat a 115-year-old record — set in 1904 — and reached 102 degrees, replacing the previous record of 97 degrees.
The highest temperatures recorded in the Bay Area on Tuesday were reported at Concord’s airport, where it reached 105 degrees. Livermore’s airport clocked in close behind at 104 degrees, and Redwood City reached 102 degrees, National Weather Service reports show.
Statewide, the desert city of Palm Springs recorded the highest temperature in California at 114 degrees on Tuesday.
Firefighters in San Jose responded to a brush fire Tuesday afternoon that spread to one home on the east side of the city near McVay Avenue and Hubbard Way.
The blaze was reported around 12:30 p.m. and prompted several evacuations, said Michael Low, a Santa Clara County Sheriff ’s Office spokesman. One firefighter was injured while battling the fire, said Mitch Matlow, a San Jose Fire Department spokesman. The fire was under control by 4 p.m., officials said.
“Among other things saved by (San Jose Fire Department) were two seats from Candlestick Park,” officials said on Twitter, sharing a photo of two red seats from San Francisco’s former sports stadium.
The highest temperature in the Bay Area was at Concord’s airport, where it reached 105.