(Find Tuesday’s live coverage of the Sandy Fire here.)
A fire that broke out in the Simi Valley area on May 18 quickly threatened neighborhoods and had reached nearly 1,400 acres by the next morning.
Authorities issued evacuation orders shortly after crews responded to the blaze initially reported near the 600 block of Sandy Drive around 10:15 a.m. The first personnel on scene described the blaze, dubbed the Sandy Fire, as at least an acre, with flames pushed by gusty winds.
Within an hour, the blaze burning on the southern edge of Simi Valley had grown to 180 acres, officials said. An update on the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection incident page described the fire as “spreading dangerously fast” by late morning.
By early Tuesday, the Sandy Fire had burned 1,385 acres, and more than 500 firefighters were assigned to the blaze. Multiple helicopters and air tankers dropped water and retardant on the flames, as crews on the ground worked to protect homes and cut a line around its perimeter.
Check back for updates on the fire, evacuation orders, winds and closures.
Hundreds of firefighters respond
Roughly 750 firefighters from throughout the state had responded to the Sandy Fire as of Tuesday morning.
After little growth overnight, much of the heat was concentrated on the southeast edges of the blaze. With winds expected to pick up Tuesday, firefighters were focused in those spots to try to prevent the fire’s spread, authorities reported.
Meanwhile, crews working with hand tools and bulldozers were continuing to cut a fire line around the perimeter.
Containment inches up
Authorities reported that containment reached 5% as of early Tuesday. The fire moved toward the east late Monday after the winds shifted, but spread little overnight.
Is the Sandy Fire impacting air quality?
The Ventura County Air Pollution Control District issued an air quality watch, warning of the potential of unhealthy conditions because of the Sandy Fire.
Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Simi Valley could see air quality impacted depending on weather conditions, officials said. The smoke and ash from wildfires contain very small particles that can harm the lungs and heart.
When you see or smell smoke or when air quality reaches an unhealthy level, the district recommended avoiding strenuous outdoor activity, operating air conditioners in recycle or recirculation mode, staying indoors as much as possible and closing doors and windows.
Real-time information on air quality is available at airnow.gov or fire.airnow.gov. For more information on precautions, go to the district’s vcapcd.org/wildfire-smoke.
Firefighters work to contain blaze
Authorities reported the Sandy Fire had minimal growth overnight.
Early Tuesday, the fire was estimated at 1,385 acres. Hundreds of firefighters had been assigned to the blaze, and crews continued to work on containing the perimeter.
Forecast calls for a breezy morning
Breezy conditions are expected to return Tuesday morning, but the National Weather Service said winds likely will be weaker and more short-lived than those a day earlier.
The northeast winds, sometimes called Santa Anas, are expected to pick up from 8 a.m. to around noon before switching direction to a more onshore flow. Along with the dry winds, humidity levels could be as low as 8 to 12%, according to the forecast.
Officials lift evacuation warnings
Late Monday, authorities lifted evacuation warnings for three zones west of the Sandy Fire. Those spots included a zone, just east of the Bard reservoir, in Simi Valley and two others in the Thousand Oaks area.
Evacuation warnings remained in place for locations in Box Canyon, east of where the fire is burning. The warnings mean people should be prepared to leave but the threat was not yet imminent.
Evacuation orders also remained in place. For a map of those areas, visit vcemergency.com.
Governor announces FEMA grant
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced late Monday that California had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant for the Sandy Fire response.
The funding is provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency on a cost-share basis. Local, state and tribal agencies can apply for 75% reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs.
Authorities close roads
Here’s a list of roads that have closed due to the Sandy Fire as of Monday night:
Fire mapped at nearly 1,400 acres
7 p.m.: Authorities had estimated the Sandy Fire had grown to 2,400 acres. But after the fire perimeter was mapped, officials said it showed the blaze at 1,364 acres. The fire was continuing to move east.
Simi schools close
The Simi Valley Unified School District has announced that all of its campuses will be closed for staff and students on May 19, officials said. The closures will also include afterschool programs on campuses.
Evacuation orders expand
5 p.m.: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services has issued additional evacuation orders, responding to the wind and fire shifting to the east. The orders took effect in areas previously under evacuation warnings and new spots, including from east of Chesebro Road-Palo Comado Fire Road into the Bell Canyon community. A map of the areas under orders and warnings is available at vcemergency.com.
Local authorities also added evacuation warnings to the Box Canyon area. Los Angeles County officials issued evacuation warnings, for areas along the Ventura-Los Angeles county line, near Agoura Hills, Calabasas and Hidden Hills.
4 p.m.: Ron Wechsler, 82, described his Simi Valley neighborhood – one threatened by the Sandy Fire – as tight-knit. He and some of his neighbors tried to fight the flames with water from a pool but couldn’t get the cover off in time, he said.
“Unfortunately, it was moving so fast,” he said. “Everything turned black and I thought I wasn’t going to make it out of there.”
He got out of the area safely and ended up putting out spot fires elsewhere, he said.
“The wind was howling,” Wechsler said. “I can’t remember it blowing that hard.”
3:45 p.m.: Christian Mills, 22, who lives in a Simi Valley neighborhood where a home was destroyed, said he was walking to his backyard when he heard a helicopter overhead on Monday.
“I just see a giant stream of orange smoke that was starting to black out the sun,” he said.
Mills started to gather his belongings and his dogs, he said.
“They were very successful saving this neighborhood because without them, had they not been on target quickly, I think this entire neighborhood would be gone right now,” Mills said, of the fire response.
Home destroyed in Sandy Fire
3:30 p.m.: The Ventura County Fire Department confirmed that one home was destroyed in the Sandy Fire. The department was continuing to assess for any other structures that may have been damaged or destroyed, said county fire spokesperson Andrew Dowd.
By midafternoon, crews continued to make progress on the blaze, he said. Along with local fire departments, personnel from the city and county of Los Angeles, Cal Fire and others responded quickly to requests for assistance.
No injuries had been reported, and there was no containment as of 3 p.m., Dowd said. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
2 p.m.: An estimated 37,000 residents were either under an evacuation order or warning. The orders initially issued Monday morning, remained in effect for areas along a southern stretch of Simi Valley.
Evacuation warnings also are in place for an adjacent location in Simi and nearby spots in the Thousand Oaks area. Authorities added an additional zone to the warnings, an area east of Edison Road and south of the Arroyo Simi. A map of the locations and more information is available at vcemergency.com.
In all, around 37,000 residents were either under an evacuation order or warning, officials said.
1 p.m.: Nighla Reed, 88, was packing up a vehicle outside of her home on Erringer Road, across from Hollow Hills school, and talking to her neighbor Mark Fitzpatrick, 55, who lives a street away. White smoke from the fire and helicopters could be seen and heard in the background.
“It’s a lot whiter than it was when I got home from work,” Reed said of the smoke.
They said they both work at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Fitzpatrick called Reed to let her know about the fire. They said they were taking a wait and see approach with their pets, families and belongings but were ready to go if needed.
“It’s calmed down a lot since 11 a.m. or so,” Fitzpatrick said.
Fitzpatrick said he wanted his neighbor to focus on valuables and “just be ready to bolt.” The problem is the potential congestion in leaving the area, he said.
Reagan Library closes
12:30 p.m.: Leaders of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley closed the facility at noon.
“We are not in an evacuation zone but we chose to close out of an abundance of caution,” spokesperson Melissa Giller said, noting a handful of employees were still at the library. “We’re not in the fire path right now so we feel safe.”
Evacuation orders, warnings for Sandy Fire
Authorities issued evacuation orders for Zone 32-35, an area roughly south of Royal Avenue, east of Madera Road, west of Edison Road and north of the Albertson Fire Road in south Simi Valley.
Evacuation warnings also were issued in an adjacent Simi Valley location and a northern stretch of the Thousand Oaks area. Warnings mean people should be prepared to leave but the threat was not yet imminent.
The warnings were issued for Zone 31 in the Simi Valley area, roughly south of Madera Road, west of the Lake Park Drive and east of the Bard Reservoir, and Zones 6 and 7 in the nearby Thousand Oaks area.
For a map of evacuation orders and warnings, go to vcemergency.com. Officials set up a hotline for questions related to evacuations and shelters at 805-465-6650.
Simi Valley Police Sgt. Rick Morton said Rambling Road was closed between Trickling Brook Court and Casual Court. Sandy Avenue also was closed at the intersection with Watson Avenue.
Evacuation point, animal shelter for Sandy Fire
Authorities set up a temporary evacuation point at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park, 5005 Los Angeles Ave. in Simi Valley.
Large animals can be taken to the Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 E. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura.
Small animals can be taken to either the Simi Valley Animal Shelter, 670 W. Los Angeles Ave. in Simi Valley; or the Camarillo Animal Shelter, 600 Aviation Dr. in Camarillo.
After the fire broke out, officials quickly called for a second alarm response and then continued to request more equipment and personnel to respond on the ground and by air.
Equipment and personnel included engines, hand crews, dozers and multiple aircraft. Some of the personnel were needed to protect structures in the area, according to radio reports.
Evacuations at Simi Valley schools
Simi Valley Unified School District’s Crestview Elementary School had been evacuated “in the last hour,” district spokesperson Jake Finch said at 12:40 p.m. Shortly after, the district’s Mountain View Elementary School also was evacuated, she said.
Students from both campuses were taken to Simi Valley High School.
Later, Hillside Middle School and Royal High School canceled their seventh-period classes and afternoon activities and athletics. The campuses were not evacuated, and students who could not be picked up early could stay safely on campus, district officials said, in a social media post.
Here’s the Sandy Fire forecast
National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Kittell said temperatures are around 75 degrees in the fire area. Wind is moving northeast at 10-20 mph around noon. Gusts are between 25 to 35 mph. Humidity is between 15 to 20%.
Winds are expected to weaken between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., Kittell said.
The wind is expected to shift and come from the southwest between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. That’s good news because it could help slow the fire’s progression, according to the weather service. But the transition could also push winds in unpredictable directions for a short period of time when the shift happens.
“Winds can be erratic and challenging for firefighters,” Kittell said.
This story will be updated.
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This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: LIVE: Sandy Fire in Simi Valley burns nearly 1,400 acres, destroys home
Reporting by Cheri Carlson, Tom Kisken and Wes Woods II, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
