Officials closed down the eastbound lanes of the Bay Bridge on Saturday afternoon for two hours as crews battled a grass fire that broke out along Interstate 80.
As of 4:30 p.m., three of the five lanes on the bridge between San Francisco and Yerba Buena Island had been reopened.
The fire began on a hillside of Yerba Buena Island around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. San Francisco Fire Department boats responded to the scene and began battling the fire shortly after.
Drivers should avoid taking Interstate 80 and take alternative routes, officials said.
Firefighters are encountering heavy smoke and steep terrain. pic.twitter.com/RJJ6JvzHlg
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) May 18, 2024
California Highway Patrol temporarily closed all eastbound lanes for an hour and a half to facilitate fire crews’ access to a water source, which is on the left side of the bridge. The fire is on the right side.
During the closure, many people were getting out of their cars and walking along the bridge, or taking naps behind the wheel, drivers there said.
Kalvin Alvarez was headed to the Luke Combs concert in Santa Clara with two friends when the traffic slowed down on the Bay Bridge, then came to a complete standstill.
“All the lanes are packed,” Alvarez said Saturday afternoon, as behind him cars started honking. “It’s like the La La Land scene on the freeway overpass.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.