SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KCBS) - Cal Fire will lift a mandatory evacuation order this afternoon for an area in the Santa Cruz Mountains near where firefighters are battling a wildfire that has consumed about 600 acres.
The fire started at about 3 a.m. Sunday northwest of Gilroy and was 20 percent contained by this morning.
Roughly 85 households in the area were ordered to evacuate but many residents chose to stay, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Jim Crawford said. Residents of the Summit Road, Highland Way and Ormsby Cutoff areas were expected to be allowed to return home around noon today, Crawford said.
No homes are threatened, he said.
Two firefighters were injured in the blaze. Crawford said both have been treated for their injuries.
KCBS Team Coverage of the Loma Fire
The fire has burned one trailer and two outbuildings.
Reception centers that had been set up in the area by the Red Cross have been closed because only a handful of residents showed up seeking shelter, county officials said. Residents who need assistance finding lodging are advised to call (831) 462-2881.
Road closures will remain in effect at Highland Way, Maymen Flats, Ormsby Cutoff and Summit Road at Soquel-San Jose Road, Loma Prieta at Summit Road, Mt. Madonna and Spanish Ranch Road.
Between 1,000 and 1,200 firefighters were assigned to the blaze today. Crawford said they are encountering wind gusts of up to 50 mph and steep slopes.
Crawford could not confirm reports that a controlled burn may have sparked the wildfire. He said a team of investigators is exploring all possibilities.
The Loma Fire is burning in the same area as the 2008 Summit Fire, which ripped through the Santa Cruz Mountains in May and June of that year, burning 35 homes and charring 4,200 acres.
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