Wildfire erupts near Clayton in California, spreads to 125 acres; evacuation warnings issued: Details

Published 18 July 2026 · us

A wildfire broke out on Friday afternoon near Clayton in California's Contra Costa County, sending a plume of smoke visible from the Mount Diablo area

A wildfire broke out on Friday afternoon near Clayton in California's Contra Costa County, sending a plume of smoke visible from the Mount Diablo area. According to Watch Duty, the blaze started near the intersection of Morgan Territory Road and Marsh Creek Road in Clayton. The fire is burning roughly 25 miles southwest of the more densely populated Mount Diablo region. According to media reports, many residents in the Mount Diablo area reported seeing smoke from the fire due to strong winds. Here's what we know: At the time of publication, the fire had spread to about 125 acres, with dozens of fire engines responding to the blaze, according to Watch Duty. According to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, the fire started roughly around 2 pm (local time) near the 2430 block of Morgan Territory Road at Marsh Creek Road.

The blaze initially burned nearly two acres before racing uphill through brush and timber on steep slopes. At around 4:40 pm, officials issued an evacuation warning for residents in Zones CCC-249 and CCC-250, located between Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and Mount Diablo State Park. While no evacuation order had been issued as of Friday afternoon, officials warned residents to be prepared in case of worsening conditions. The fire district, in its emergency alert, said, "Gather any important items you could carry with you, including medications, baby supplies, money, important papers, and photos," and added, "Locate any pets or animals and be prepared to cage or leash them. If you require additional time to evacuate, you should leave now." As fire activity intensified, Air Attack requested additional aircraft to aid crews on the ground.

The response grew to include eight Type 1 air tankers and four helicopters, according to incident reports. Due to the wildfire's proximity to the Morgan Territory Road, the Contra Costa County Fire Department called it "Morgan Fire." Clayton, which is located in the east-central part of Contra Costa County, is situated at the eastern base of Mount Diablo. The fire broke out just off the Mount Diablo Mine, west of the Oak Hills Trail and the Morgan Territory Road. Reports suggest that since the location is a sparsely populated mountain area in Northern California, there was no immediate danger reported to structures or habitation. Several locals shared photos and videos of the wildfire on social media, and a thick cloud of dense, black smoke was seen in the Mount Diablo area.