What to Know
- The Mountain Fire burned 10,000 acres early Wednesday afternoon in the Moorpark and Camarillo areas.
- Several people were hospitalized with injuries as the fire quickly spread on a windy day in Southern California.
- Video showed several structures damaged by flames.
- The fire jumped the 118 Freeway into the Camarillo Springs area.
A brush fire that moved with devastating speed in the Moorpark and Camarillo areas of Ventura County burned more than 10,000 acres Wednesday and forced evacuations as strong winds pushed flames into neighborhoods.
Injuries were reported and several homes burned in the Mountain Fire, which was reported around 9 a.m. off the 118 Freeway, near the 7900 block of Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road. The fire department said that the strong winds in the area were contributing to the challenging conditions.
The fire crossed the 118 Freeway and entered the Camarillo Heights area.
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"Several individuals have been injured and transported to local hospitals," the Ventura County Fire Department said. "Numerous structures are currently threatened."
Homes were destroyed in the Camarillo and Moorpark areas. Video from NewsChopper4 showed several homes burned to the ground, but authorities did not have an estimate on the number of homes destroyed.
#MountainFire UPDATE:
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) November 6, 2024
The fire has crossed Highway 118 and is now impacting the Camarillo Heights area. Evacuation orders are in effect, and we urge residents to follow these orders for their safety. Several individuals have been injured and transported to local hospitals.… pic.twitter.com/rWpKIdDfpe
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Details about the injuries were not immediately available, but fire officials said the injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Powerful winds grounded fixed-wing aircraft because of “very dangerous” conditions caused by gusts. The winds could cause turbulence for pilots. Thick smoke also made it difficult to see from the air.
Water-dropping helicopters were still making runs on the fire, some dropping water directly onto homes.
The strongest winds of the week were expected Wednesday with gusts up to 80 mph in the mountains and foothills of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Similar winds are expected once again in the mountains Thursday night.
"Gusts as high as 100mph are possible in wind-prone mountainous locations," according to a statement from county emergency officials. "In addition to windy conditions, low relative humidity with poor overnight recovery is expected. A Red Flag Warning has been issued starting Wednesday at 4 a.m. through Thursday at 6 p.m. for all areas of Ventura County."
Evacuation orders
The evacuation orders are in effect for:
- N Hwy 118 to the ridgeline, west to Saticoy County Club
- Saticoy Country Club to Balcom Canyon Rd.
- North Lewis Rd to Los Posas Country Club to North of Loop Drive (Camarillo Heights Area)
- East to Balcom Canyon Road
Evacuation warnings
- Neighborhoods west of Wells Road, east of Petit, north of the Santa Clara River, and south of Foothill Road.
Evacuation shelters
- Padre Serra Parish -- 5205 Upland Rd., Camarillo, CA 93012
- Ventura County Fairgrounds (for large animals) -- 10 E. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001
- Ventura County Animal Services (for small animals) -- 600 Aviation Dr. Camarillo, 93010
“140 firefighters are on scene, utilizing 58 fire apparatus, with additional helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft requested to assist,” the department said.
Gus Garcia, who owns a ranch south of the fire, told The Associated Press that he was waiting to see whether conditions will change before evacuating horses and cattle. His ranch is surrounded by others with horses and alpaca, and Garcia said his neighbors in the canyon did not seem panicked.
"The horse community, they prepare for this because it’s always a possibility up here,” he said.
California's latest statewide wildfire update shows a staggering increase in the number of acres burned compared to last year. As of Monday, Cal Fire reported more than 1 million acres have burned since the start of the year. At this point last year, only 308,000 acres had burned.
The five-year average is 1.2 million acres through Nov. 4.
This is a developing story, please check back for updates.
