A cascade of explosions ripped through a licensed fireworks warehouse outside Esparto, Yolo County, just after 6 p.m. local time, hurling mortar shells sky-high and igniting more than 80 acres of parched grassland. Sheriff’s deputies evacuated everyone within a one-mile radius as CAL FIRE tankers clawed back flames fanned by 20 mph winds; by nightfall the main blaze was 80 percent contained, but crews warned that buried pyrotechnics could reignite throughout the day.

Seven workers remain unaccounted for and two others were treated for minor burns, although officials said the rapid perimeter sweep prevented wider casualties. Governor Gavin Newsom deployed state bomb-squad investigators, who will comb the debris once temperatures drop below 100 °C. Preliminary CCTV review suggests an electrical fault in a loading dock may have touched off the first volley, but ATF agents will test chemical samples before ruling out criminal negligence. The incident lands as northern California enters peak wildfire season, renewing calls for tighter storage limits on commercial fireworks in drought-stricken counties.