Pair of wildfires cover Santa Cruz area in smoke

CHP officers in Santa Cruz closed SR-9 late Saturday night due to a fire that was moving through the Santa Cruz mountains and continued into the daytime Sunday.

CHP officers in Santa Cruz closed SR-9 late Saturday night due to a fire that was moving through the Santa Cruz mountains and continued into the daytime Sunday.
Photo: Courtesy CHP Santa Cruz
FILE -- Firefighters at the Mendocino Complex fire. A fire was moving through the Santa Cruz Mountains Sunday, burning up to 25 acres and continuing to spread.

FILE -- Firefighters at the Mendocino Complex fire. A fire was moving through the Santa Cruz Mountains Sunday, burning up to 25 acres and continuing to spread.
Photo: AFP Contributor#AFP
At-risk California counties for Wildfires

At-risk California counties for Wildfires
Photo: Getty Images
Alameda County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 13 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 77,000

Alameda County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 13 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 77,000
Photo: Getty Images
Alpine County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 88 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,600

Alpine County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 88 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,600
Photo: Stephen Saks/Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images
Amador County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 61 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 11,000

Amador County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 61 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 11,000
Photo: Buyenlarge/Getty Images
Butte County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 42 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 40,300

Butte County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 42 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 40,300
Photo: Cal Fire/ Facebook
Calaveras County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 65 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 18,100

Calaveras County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 65 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 18,100
Photo: David McNew/Getty Images
Colusa County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 14 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,100

Colusa County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 14 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,100
Photo: JIM WILSON, STF
Contra Costa County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 13 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 50,100

Contra Costa County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 13 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 50,100
Photo: Raphael Kluzniok, The Chronicle
Del Norte County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 44 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 5,000

Del Norte County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 44 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 5,000
Photo: Tom Stienstra
El Dorado County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 61 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 53,900

El Dorado County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 61 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 53,900
Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle
Glenn County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 11 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,200

Glenn County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 11 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,200
Photo: David Madison / Getty Images
Humboldt County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 44 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 27,300

Humboldt County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 44 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 27,300
Photo: Getty
Lake County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 56 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 19,800

Lake County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 56 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 19,800
Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
Lassen County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 50 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 6,400

Lassen County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 50 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 6,400
Photo: Getty Images
Marin County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 30 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 33,700

Marin County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 30 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 33,700
Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
Mendocino County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 59 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 23,800

Mendocino County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 59 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 23,800
Photo: Cal Fire
Modoc County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 32 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,600

Modoc County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 32 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,600
Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle
Napa County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 44 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 24,100

Napa County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 44 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 24,100
Photo: Peter DaSilva, Special To The Chronicle
Nevada County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 75 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 39,300

Nevada County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 75 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 39,300
Photo: John Hart / The Union 2017
Placer County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 24 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 37,200

Placer County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 24 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 37,200
Photo: Scott Strazzante, The Chronicle
Plumas County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 71 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 11,100

Plumas County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 71 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 11,100
Photo: Paul Kuroda / Special To The Chronicle 2017
Sacramento County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 4,800

Sacramento County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 4,800
Photo: Slobo/Getty Images
San Joaquin County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 0 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 300

San Joaquin County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 0 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 300
Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
San Francisco County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 2 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 8,300

San Francisco County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 2 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 8,300
Photo: Liz Moughon / The Chronicle
San Mateo County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 15 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 40,500

San Mateo County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 15 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 40,500
Photo: Jeff Chiu
Santa Clara County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 10 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 63,200

Santa Clara County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 10 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 63,200
Photo: Hans Blossey/Getty Images/imageBROKER RM
Santa Cruz County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 50 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 52,400

Santa Cruz County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 50 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 52,400
Photo: Kylie McLaughlin/Getty Images/Lonely Planet Images
Shasta County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 32 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 25,100

Shasta County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 32 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 25,100
Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
Sierra County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 64 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,400

Sierra County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 64 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1,400
Photo: Tom Stienstra
Siskiyou County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 54 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 13,100

Siskiyou County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 54 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 13,100
Photo: Sarahbeth Maney / Special To The Chronicle
Solano County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 3 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 4,300

Solano County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 3 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 4,300
Sonoma County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 23 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 47,600

Sonoma County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 23 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 47,600
Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle
Stanislaus County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 2 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 3,700

Stanislaus County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 2 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 3,700
Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Sutter County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 0 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 100

Sutter County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 0 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 100
Photo: Mike Kepka
Tehama County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 40 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 10,700

Tehama County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 40 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 10,700
Photo: Michael Burke/Special To The Chr
Trinity County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 81 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 7,000

Trinity County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 81 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 7,000
Photo: Caltrans District 2/Twitter
Tuolumne County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 80 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 25,100

Tuolumne County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 80 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 25,100
Photo: Tom Stienstra, Tom Stienstra / The Chronicle
Yolo County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 500

Yolo County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 1 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 500
Photo: Photos By Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
Yuba County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 25 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 6,900

Yuba County

Percent of housing units in high to extreme risk: 25 percent
Number of housing units in high to extreme risk: 6,900
Photo: SAM DEANER, STAFF

Photo: Courtesy CHP Santa Cruz

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Caption

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CHP officers in Santa Cruz closed SR-9 late Saturday night due to a fire that was moving through the Santa Cruz mountains and continued into the daytime Sunday.

Photo: Courtesy CHP Santa Cruz

A smoky fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains continued to burn Sunday, spreading slowly through tinder-dry timber and growing to 25 acres, according to Cal Fire, while a separate vegetation fire nearby was quickly contained earlier in the day.

The Rincon Fire, which ignited Saturday night near the Paradise Park neighborhood northeast of the UC Santa Cruz campus, was 30 percent contained Sunday afternoon, said Scott McLean, a Cal Fire spokesman, despite earlier reports that the fire was fully contained at 6 acres.

The fire was burning in heavy timber between Highway 9 and the San Lorenzo River, he said. High winds had abated but the weather remained dry with humidity of about 15 percent, he said.

The smoke and flames closed Highway 9 from its junction with Highway 1 to Glengarry Road about 4 miles north of Santa Cruz, according to Caltrans.

Nader Oweis, chief of police at UCSC, issued a statement that the Paradise Park neighborhood was evacuated as a precaution. He said the fire posed no danger to the university campus or its students but said it has created smoky conditions on campus. He said firefighters may be using campus fire roads to gain access to the rugged area.

A separate vegetation fire broke out in Scotts Valley on Sunday but was quickly contained to 5 acres, Cal Fire officials said. Firefighters remained on the scene to make sure the blaze did not reignite.

A red-flag warning for extreme fire conditions, particularly in the North Bay and East Bay hills, was lifted early Sunday morning as high winds died down. High winds, combined with low relative humidity and dry vegetation, can cause small fires to quickly spread into major conflagrations.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@ctuan

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