Overview

• The blaze ignited Tuesday afternoon in the Alum Rock foothills near Ranch Place and Old Piedmont Road.
• San Jose Fire Department’s Tier 3 response team and Cal Fire’s Santa Clara Unit have been on site since Tuesday afternoon.
• Evacuation warnings and mandatory orders remain in effect for multiple Santa Clara County zones.
• Air tankers and helicopters began water and retardant drops Wednesday to aid ground crews.
• Investigators have launched a probe into the fire’s origin, which remains undetermined.