A brush fire erupted yesterday on State Route 152 between Bloomfield Avenue and San Felipe Road in Gilroy, shutting down all eastbound and westbound lanes and turning traffic through Pacheco Pass into a long, slow crawl. The closure hit a major connector between the South Bay and Monterey County right in the evening commute window.
Officials Post Alerts As Cause Remains Unknown
Per Caltrans District 4, the agency retweeted an alert from 511 SFBay reporting that all lanes were blocked in both directions between Bloomfield Avenue and San Felipe Road. The initial post did not provide an estimate of acreage or say what sparked the blaze, and local agencies had not released a containment update at the time of the alert.
Brush Fire on Eastbound and Westbound CA-152 Between Bloomfield Ave and San Felipe in Gilroy. All Lanes Blocked In Both Directions. https://t.co/ITRwoLKuip
— 511 SF Bay (@511SFBay) July 22, 2026
Traffic Delays And Real-Time Updates
The 511 real-time traffic map flagged the stretch as a critical alert and offered live information for commuters trying to navigate around the mess. For live conditions and suggested alternates, see 511.org's realtime map. Drivers heading through Pacheco Pass were advised to expect delays and to consider alternate routing where feasible.
Pacheco Pass Fires Have Closed 152 Before
Wildland fires have intermittently closed Highway 152 in past seasons, and the 2020 Crews Fire, for example, burned near Gilroy and forced major closures and evacuations, according to the Los Angeles Times. State fire data and maps show several active incidents across California and a summer outlook that keeps fire potential elevated, per CAL FIRE. The terrain and dry fuels along Pacheco Pass can make small brush blazes quickly disruptive to traffic and nearby communities.
Caltrans and 511 posted the first public alerts, and local fire agencies are managing suppression and traffic control. This article will be updated when officials release further details.
