Two people displaced in large fire in Atwater

Two people were forced from their Atwater home Sunday night as fire chewed through two acres of eucalyptus trees and other vegetation, damaging the home and destroying another structure.

The home on Manzanita Drive sustained heavy damage in the fire which broke out around 5:30 p.m., Battalion Chief Mark Pimentel said.

The fire burned in the area near Fruitland Avenue between Winton Way and Shaffer, authorities said.

More than 20 firefighters battled the blaze, including firefighters from the city of Merced who came to assist,

Firefighters remained on scene late into Sunday night.

Witnesses said one building caught fire on Fruitland Avenue and a home was burned on Manzanita.

Ryan Attebery, a witness who said he was close to the scene when flames broke out, described a fast-moving blaze that threatened multiple houses in the area.

He said people in the area were scrambling in and out of nearby homes, saying the scene was “hectic and crazy.”

He said he left the area to avoid being in the way of emergency responders. Other people were seen gathering in the area.

This story was originally published July 22, 2018 at 5:57 PM.