A fast-growing brush fire ignited on Monday morning in southern California, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of residents and damaging at least one home. The Sandy fire was reported just after 10am in Simi Valley, a city in Ventura County about 30 miles north-west of Los Angeles.
By 3.30pm, the blaze had spread to more than 800 acres, driven by gusts of wind that topped 30mph. As of Monday afternoon, the fire had no containment. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for more than 20,000 residents in the southern part of the city, according to the New York Times. Simi Valley has a population of over 125,000 people.
Aerial footage from local TV stations showed at least one home on fire, though fire officials did not provide an exact count. Multiple helicopters were seen performing water drops over the blaze, while thick clouds of grey smoke blanketed the neighbourhood. Crews were scrambling to prevent flames from moving down slopes into the suburban areas of Thousand Oaks.
A National Weather Service advisory warning of winds of 20 to 30mph expired at 3pm. “As the sun sets, those winds will calm down even more,” said Scott Dettorre, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, perched on a hillside a few miles away, said it was closed for the day due to the fire.
