The wildfire in Simi Valley, which prompted the evacuation of tens of thousands of people, reached 22% containment as of Wednesday, according to officials. The Ventura County Fire Department warned of possible increased fire activity due to shifting winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation expected through Thursday.
The fire ignited at around 11 a.m. on Monday near Sandy Avenue and spread to residential areas, resulting in one home being destroyed. By Wednesday evening, the blaze covered 2,115 acres, and approximately 17,000 residents remained under evacuation orders.
About 900 firefighters were deployed to tackle the challenging Sandy fire terrain. Ground crews focused on building fire lines to enhance containment, while air tankers dropped retardants to slow the fire’s progress. Andrew Dowd from the Ventura County Fire Department noted the collaborative efforts with Cal Fire, L.A. City, and L.A. County Fire units using helicopters, dozers, and engines to aggressively combat the fire.
We’re here with Cal Fire, L.A. City, and L.A. County Fire. We have water in helicopters, dozers, and engines, and we are giving this fire an aggressive fire tap with everything we got.
Along the southern edge of the fire near Albertson Motorway, crews aimed to extinguish hot spots and secure the fire’s perimeter, as reported by Trevor Johnson from the Ventura County Fire Department. There were concerns about unburned fuel pockets causing visible smoke. Efforts were also concentrated on the east side near Sequoia Avenue, where the fire was highly active, to prevent it from advancing towards the canyon.
Authorities suspect the fire started when a tractor operator struck a rock, igniting a brush fire. The Simi Valley Police Department reported a call received at 10:17 a.m. on Monday from the tractor driver, indicating that hitting a rock on their property in the 2600 block of Rudolph Drive caused a spark that started the fire. The fire originated near Sandy Avenue.
The National Weather Service predicted gusty offshore winds in the area through the weekend, according to meteorologist Bryan Lewis. Several road closures were implemented on Wednesday, including Bell Canyon Road, Katherine Road, Clear Springs Road, Oak Knolls Road, Crinklaw Lane, and sections of Santa Susana Pass Road. An evacuation warning was also issued for areas near Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Chatsworth, West Hills, and Lake Manor.
Meanwhile, other fires in Southern California also saw changes. The Verona fire in Riverside County burned 600 acres with 30% containment. The Bain fire, also in Riverside County, expanded to 1,456 acres, achieving 34% containment. The Santa Rosa Island fire reached 17,554 acres at 44% containment after starting on Friday.