New evacuations for remote communities near Calif. forest fire

JACKSON — Evacuation orders were expanded Tuesday for remote California communities near a wildfire that may have been sparked by fireworks or a barbecue on the Fourth of July in a mountainous region that’s a top tourism destination.

The Electra Fire in Sierra Nevada Gold Country broke out Monday afternoon and tripled in size to more than 4.7 square miles by Tuesday.

“The rate of spread isn’t what it was like yesterday, but it is still spreading,” said Amador County Sheriff Gary Redman. He said firefighters were working to keep flames confined to unpopulated canyon areas.

Mandatory evacuation orders and warnings combined affected up to 700 residents in Amador County and 300 to 400 people in Calaveras County, Redman said. Evacuation centers were set up for people and animals.

The fire started at a recreation area that was packed with people, forcing 85 to 100 celebrating the holiday at a river to take shelter at a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. facility, Redman said. All were later safely evacuated.

Redman said the cause of the fire was not known, but that it started in the Vox Beach area of the North Fork Mokelumne River. He said that could suggest fireworks or a barbecue as a potential cause.

More than 100 fire engines, 1,200 firefighters and 14 helicopters were sent to the fire, which was a threat to power infrastructure, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. The terrain was described as steep and rugged.

MONTEBELLO — A 42-year-old man was killed when a powerful firework exploded in his hand during a Fourth of July celebration in a Southern California neighborhood, officials said Tuesday.

Paramedics responding around 6:30 p.m. Monday found the victim with severe injuries at a home in Montebello, said Michael Chee, a city spokesperson.

The man was attempting to light a “high powered, mortar type, aerial firework” that is illegal in Montebello and the surrounding county of Los Angeles, Chee said in a statement.

“The victim apparently attempted to hold the device when the firework went off and caused severe trauma to his upper torso,” the statement said.

The man, who was not immediately identified, died at a hospital, Chee said.

Fireworks paraphernalia were confiscated at the home and an investigation is ongoing, officials said.

BRENTWOOD — A 9-year-old boy who was badly injured in a Northern California commuter train crash that killed three other people has died, according to a GoFundMe page set up for his family.

Julien Nieves of Dixon died Wednesday of injuries suffered when an Amtrak commuter train smashed into a car on June 26 in unincorporated Brentwood, Daisey Morales, who organized the GoFundMe page, wrote Sunday.

“On June 29, Juli became a true Superhero, his organs will be donated to give life to other children in need,” Morales wrote. “Knowing that he’ll be living through another precious life brings our family solace while we navigate these difficult times.”

The car was headed to a fundraiser at a vineyard for a Brentwood resident who had recently died, authorities said.

The crash southeast of San Francisco killed three women, including the boy’s mother and grandmother. The victims were identified by the Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office as Julia Mondragon, 41, of Dixon; Maria Nieves, 72, of Dixon and Mercedes Regalado, 51, of Antioch.

OAKLAND — Four baseball fans were injured by bullet fragments from outside the Coliseum while attending a postgame July 4 fireworks show, Oakland Police and the team said Tuesday.

None of the injuries were life-threatening, police and the A’s said.

Because the A’s 5-1 victory over the Blue Jays lasted just 2 hours, 27 minutes, it wasn’t yet dark enough for the fireworks show to start. Fans from a season-high crowd of 24,403 were allowed onto the playing field just after 9 p.m. local time.

“The Oakland Police Department (OPD) is investigating firearm-related injuries that occurred on July 4, 2022, after 9:30 p.m., in the 7000 block of Coliseum Way,” police and the A’s said in a joint statement.

Police initially were notified of a possible shooting victim inside the ballpark and officers located three fans struck by bullet fragments “from what appears to be celebratory gunfire occurring throughout the city of Oakland,” the statement said. An additional victim walked into a hospital.