At 09:43 a.am. local time, Califonia Maritime Academy (CMA) officials published an emergency tweet “EVACUATE CAMPUS. Fire has jumped the freeway”.
The California State University Maritime Academy is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system and is one of seven degree-granting maritime academies in the United States. It is located in Vallejo, California, just north of San Francisco.
Dry conditions and high winds have resulted in numerous large fires across the state in recent years but most fires have occurred far inland.
Sunday’s fire broke out around 9 a.m. in the morning, with embers jumping the freeway and igniting above the California State University Maritime Academy campus, which prompted the evacuation of staff and students.
According to the San Luis Obispo Tribune, 55 acres had burned in Vallejo by mid-day of Sunday. Two minor injuries to firefighters were reported.
According to a witness on campus, state fire trucks continue to pour into the region to fight the fire.
“Administrators are reporting campus has been safely evacuated,” reads a tweet that Cal Maritime officials posted 90 minutes after the evacuation message.