Mountain California Fire Outbreak: The fire ignited in Ventura County, rapidly spreading from 25 to over 14,100 acres within hours, remaining at 0% containment.
Evacuation Orders: Evacuation centers and animal shelters were set up, and major road closures were enforced for public safety.
School Closures: Over a dozen schools closed, including Camarillo Heights Elementary, due to fire threats and power outages.
Wind and Fire Risks: Strong winds created challenges, spreading flames and embers over long distances, complicating firefighting efforts.
Power Outages: SoCal Edison preemptively cut power to 23,300+ customers to mitigate fire risks during the Santa Ana wind event.
The Mountain Fire in Ventura County, Southern California, erupted rapidly, covering over 14,100 acres with no containment. Authorities issued evacuation orders and road closures while establishing shelters for residents and pets. Schools in affected areas shut down for safety, and SoCal Edison initiated power shutoffs impacting over 23,300 customers due to the Santa Ana wind event. The fire’s fast spread, fueled by strong winds, posed significant challenges to firefighters, leading to efforts focused on containment and community safety.
California Fire (DETAILED)
Authorities reported that numerous individuals were injured and several houses were destroyed after the Mountain Fire ignited Wednesday morning in Ventura County, Southern California.
According to the Ventura County Fire Department, it began at approximately 8:50 a.m. close to the 7900 block of Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road on South Mountain in the Moorpark region. In just one hour, the blaze expanded from 25 to 1,000 acres.
The Mountain Fire surged overnight, consuming over 14,100 acres while staying at 0% containment. The Federal Emergency Agency has allocated funds to assist with firefighting resources.
About 800 firefighters concentrated on rescue operations as the wildfire swept through areas in Camarillo, Moorpark, and Somis.
Evacuation orders
Officials set up an evacuation center at Padre Serra Parish, situated at 5205 Upland Road in Camarillo.
Homeowners with big pets were recommended to leave their animals at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, situated at 10 E. Harbor Boulevard. Small animals may be taken to the Ventura County Animal Services facility at the Camarillo Airport, situated at 600 Aviation Drive.
According to VCFD, significant road closures were enforced at SR-118 at Tierra Rejada and Wells Road, along with Balcom Canyon Road at Stockton and Las Posas at Lewis. At midday, they likewise shut N. Lewis Road.
Motorists on SR-118 and SR-23 were urged to remain alert and watch for emergency vehicles responding to the fire.
Schools got close
The Mountain Fire has led to the closure of over a dozen schools and districts as teams work to put out the fire. Officials from the Pleasant Valley School District evacuated the Camarillo Heights Elementary School campus “because of a wind event and associated fires in nearby areas.” A bus transported students who were not collected to Monte Vista Middle School.
Over a dozen additional schools and districts declared closures for the remainder of the week.
Winds fueling flames
“The fire is burning in what we call an intermix area, which is a mixture of wildland and lots of agriculture,” said VCFD Captain Anthony McHale while speaking with KCAL. “There are a number of residences and ranches and smaller neighborhoods that are in the intermix area and that presents enormous challenges to the boots on the ground.”
He said that wind-driven fires are one of the most dangerous situations that firefighters face because of the constantly evolving flames, smoke and ember fallout.
“That can present challenges, and of course, in some cases depending on the dynamics of the winds, those embers can be carried long distances, starting spot fires in receptive fuel beds and structures that might be in the area,” McHale said.
Power outages in place
Due to the Santa Ana wind event expected to continue all day, SoCal Edison started to suspend power service to certain customers because of the increased fire danger.
As of 1 p.m., over 23,300 SCE customers in Ventura County were impacted by the Public Safety Power Shutoffs, a situation that will evolve as the fire continues to burn.
“They will remain engaged during the wind event and as soon as we notice an improvement in those wind conditions, we will begin the process to restore power to customers,” stated Gabriela Ornelas, a public information officer for SCE.
With predictions indicating that the winds will persist throughout the evening and into Thursday, Ornelas mentioned that power might return intermittently for customers.
“It’s possible that customers might regain power if there are calm periods in the wind in specific areas or communities,” she stated. “It would be a short moment during this wind occurrence.”
Ornelas stated that although outages are a recognized nuisance, they are carried out with the safety of the public as a priority.
“Public safety shutoffs are a measure we take as a final option to ensure the safety of the community,” she stated.
Monte Vista and Las Posas Schools were also impacted by power outages, while Santa Rosa Technology Magnet School was monitored for a separate outage.
Chaparral Middle School and Campus Canyon College Prep Academy were shut down due to the fire resulting in power outages. No students were in danger.
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