Wildfire Shuts I-5
Southbound I-5 Closes Near Dunnigan as Vegetation Fire Prompts Evacuations
Key Points
Two fires burning about a quarter-mile apart near Dunnigan—one in eucalyptus trees and one in a surrounding field—were reported, with initial CHP logs suggesting the blaze may have started after a black pickup truck tire blowout.
An evacuation center was opened at Fire Station 12, located at 29145 Main St in Dunnigan, to shelter residents displaced by the fire.
Southbound Interstate 5 remained closed between County Roads 2 and 4, with traffic diverted onto County Road 99W as crews fought the fire.
A GO NOW emergency alert was issued for residents west of I-5, with evacuation lines described as roughly County Road 2 to 6 and toward County Road 88 near the freeway.
A fast-moving vegetation fire near Dunnigan in Yolo County forced a mandatory evacuation and shut down southbound Interstate 5 on June 29, 2026, around 1:22 p.m. Sacramento Bee reported two separate ignition points about a quarter-mile apart, with a massive smoke plume visible for miles. The blaze, dubbed the Campers Fire by some agencies, burned through eucalyptus trees and dry grass near the Yolo-Colusa county line.
By 3:05 p.m., aerial mapping confirmed the fire had grown to 16.9 acres, according to Sacramento Bee. Southbound I-5 closed between County Roads 2 and 4, leaving one of California's most critical trucking routes blocked for roughly five hours before a partial reopening at 6:30 p.m.
GO NOW Alert Sends Dunnigan Residents Fleeing
Yolo County issued a "GO NOW" mandatory evacuation order for Zone DUN-009, covering the area from County Road 2 to 6 and toward County Road 88, according to CBS News. Residents west of I-5 were told to leave immediately. An evacuation center opened at Fire Station 12, located at 29145 Main St in Dunnigan, to shelter displaced families.
By 4:15 p.m., officials split Zone DUN-009 into two sections. The order for Zone DUN-009-A was lifted, allowing some residents to return home. Zone DUN-009-B remained under mandatory orders, ABC10 reported. Yolo County used the Genasys Protect alert platform to communicate the shifting boundaries in real time.
Tire Blowout on Black Pickup May Have Started Blaze
California Highway Patrol logs suggest a black pickup truck suffered a tire blowout before the fire ignited, according to Sacramento Bee. The vehicle incident is the primary suspected cause, though investigators have not confirmed it. Two separate ignition points roughly 0.25 miles apart were recorded, with one fire burning in eucalyptus trees and another in an open field.
Vehicle-sparked fires are common in California during hot summer months. If the cause is confirmed, the truck's driver could face liability for firefighting costs depending on the vehicle's maintenance record, Sacramento Bee noted. The CHP Williams office is leading the investigation.
Eucalyptus Groves and Power Outages Complicated Firefight
The presence of eucalyptus trees near I-5 made the fire especially dangerous. The trees shed dry bark that carries flames into the canopy and contain volatile oils that can cause explosive burning. Dunnigan Fire Protection District crews described a mix of eucalyptus and open field fueling rapid spread and producing the thick smoke plume that choked both sides of the freeway, Hoodline reported.
PG&E reported a power outage hitting roughly 190 customers in the Dunnigan area starting around 2:15 p.m. Crews were dispatched to assess damaged or de-energized lines. Traffic diverted off I-5 was routed onto County Road 99W, according to NewsBreak. One southbound lane reopened by 6:30 p.m., though full containment had not been established by that time.
I-5 Closure Disrupts California's Key North-South Corridor
Interstate 5 is the main trucking route between California's Central Valley and Oregon. Even a five-hour closure triggers major supply chain delays for agricultural and commercial goods. The Dunnigan exit and the stretch between County Roads 2 and 4 sat idle as firefighting crews worked the active blaze, Hoodline reported.
This region has seen similar fires before, including a 120-acre Dunnigan fire in May 2022. Local residents have pointed to dense, unmaintained vegetation along the freeway as a recurring risk. The Yolo County Board of Supervisors may face renewed pressure to require vegetation management near critical infrastructure, especially for eucalyptus groves on private land.
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