Howling winds across Northern California had firefighters on edge over the weekend as gusts helped spark and drive a vegetation fire near Altamont Pass. Crews spent yesterday afternoon and evening chasing flames that crawled across the grassy hills east of Livermore, while utilities cut power in some high‑risk pockets and authorities shut down roads around the scene. With strong gusts, low humidity and tinder‑dry brush in the mix, fire crews stayed braced for new starts today and local agencies urged foothill and valley residents to track alerts and skip any spark‑producing activities.
Cal Fire identified the incident as the Pass Fire and said it began yesterday near Altamont Pass Road in Alameda County, quickly growing as winds pushed it through grass and brush. According to CAL FIRE, roughly 80 acres had burned with about 30% containment in the agency’s incident update. The cause remained under investigation, and Santa Clara Unit resources, along with local mutual aid, were assigned to the fire.
Red flag warnings and gusts
The National Weather Service kept Red Flag Warnings and wind advisories in place across much of Northern California, warning that north and northeast winds combined with very low humidity could create critical fire weather. Forecasters said inland gusts could hit 35 to 45 mph in some spots, raising the odds that even a small ignition could blow up fast. The agency also issued marine and beach hazard statements for rough seas. The windy pattern was expected to linger today, complicating suppression efforts and prompting extra caution for outdoor work and recreation, according to the National Weather Service.
Road closures and local reporting
Local outlets reported that Altamont Pass Road was closed between Carroll and Grant Line Road while crews worked the scene, and that forward progress on the fire had been stopped by early afternoon. ABC7 noted the closure and pockets of preemptive power shutoffs near the fire, while KTVU reported that crews had established containment lines and were mopping up hot spots. Some outlets later reported that updated GPS mapping revised the burned area to roughly 69 to 70 acres as crews completed more accurate surveys of the burn.
Power shutoffs and preparedness
Pacific Gas & Electric rolled out targeted Public Safety Power Shutoffs in parts of the North Bay and interior valleys as a precaution during the high‑wind window. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that planned and unplanned outages affected more than 46,000 customers across Northern California yesterday. PG&E said it opened community resource centers for impacted customers and monitored conditions on its outage map. Utilities and fire agencies reminded residents who rely on medical devices to register for alerts and to have backup plans ready in case the power goes out…