A fast-moving brush fire erupted on Monday morning in Simi Valley, California, prompting evacuation orders and damaging at least one home. The blaze was reported shortly after 10 a.m. in the Ventura County city, located 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
By noon, the fire had consumed over 180 acres, according to Scott Dettorre, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department. Aerial footage showed at least one residence ablaze, though officials did not provide an exact count. Multiple helicopters performed water drops over the blaze as thick gray smoke blanketed the neighbourhood.
Some residents in the southern part of Simi Valley were ordered to evacuate. The city has a population of more than 125,000 people. Crews were scrambling to keep flames from moving down slopes into the suburban neighbourhoods of Thousand Oaks.
The National Weather Service issued an advisory warning of winds of 20 to 30 mph for the area until 3 p.m.
