(This story has been updated to include additional evacuation zone changes.)
Firefighters continued to battle the Sandy Fire on May 22, just four days after it ignited in the hills of Simi Valley.
Containment climbed to 40% as of Friday morning, up from 30% the previous day, said Andrew Dowd, a spokesperson with the Ventura County Fire Department.
Sitting at 2,141 acres, the fire has destroyed one home and damaged two structures, Dowd said. Crews will continue to mop up fire areas by tackling hot spots and monitoring for any potential flare-ups.
There were over 1,100 firefighters assigned to battle the blaze as of last night, but with favorable weather conditions expected throughout Friday, the fire department may demobilize some units, he said.
More: Click here to check out Wednesday’s story
More: Click here to check out Thursday’s story
Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office, said that the area of Simi Valley will see improved conditions for fighting fires Friday and into the weekend.
Those conditions include a marine layer that has spread around the fire area, which will keep humidity around 30%, and temperatures in the mid-70s. Winds may reach between 10 and 20 mph in a southwesterly direction, he added.
The Sandy Fire is just one of two fires in the area as the Santa Rosa Island Fire burns in the Channel Islands. That fire sat at 59% containment and 18,379 acres burned as of about 6:21 p.m. on May 21, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CalFire.
Evacuation zones change for Simi-area residents
Evacuation orders were downgraded to warnings throughout most of Simi Valley the afternoon of May 21. Simi Valley Unified School District schools are expected to stay closed until May 26, after Memorial Day.
Evacuation zones that include Meier Canyon, Burro Flats and opens space in the hills between Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks remained under evacuation orders.
As of the morning of May 22, evacuation orders were shifted to warnings for a strip of residential area near Meier Canyon, just south of Simi Valley, in an area known as Brandeis.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Evacuations updated Friday as crews seek more Sandy Fire containment
Reporting by Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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