CAMARILLO, Calif. (KABC) -- Thousands of residents were forced to flee a fast-moving wildfire, called the Mountain Fire, as it consumed dozens of homes in several Ventura County communities.
The Mountain Fire stood at 20,638 acres as of Friday evening, with 14% containment, Cal Fire said. The blaze is now moving toward the communities of Santa Paula and Somis after destroying parts of Camarillo. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The out-of-control brush fire broke out near the 7900 block of Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road at approximately 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. The fire department initially described the incident as a two-alarm fire that burned 250 acres, but it quickly exploded due to the strong Santa Ana winds and dry brush in the region.
Key Headlines
Here's how the news is developing.
Nov 07, 2024, 4:25 PM
Mountain Fire in Moorpark evacuations, road closures, evacuation shelter
Evacuation orders:
Evacuation warnings:
Road closures:
Temporary evacuation shelter: Padre Serra Parish 5205 Upland Road Camarillo, CA 93012
Large animal evacuation center: The Ventura County Fairgrounds are at full capacity and will not be able to take any more large animals that were evacuated. If someone has a horse or livestock that needs to be evacuated, call Ventura County Animal Services main number at 805 388-4341 to get details on an alternate location to board them.
Small animal evacuation center: Ventura County Animal Services (Camarillo Airport) 600 Aviation Drive Camarillo, 93010
Fire information hotline: 805-465-6650
Nov 08, 2024, 6:47 PM PST
Mountain Fire grows to 20,600 acres, 14% contained
The Mountain Fire has burned 20,638 acres and is 14% contained as of Friday evening, officials said during a press conference Friday.
Over 2,000 personnel are working to further contain the fire. Damage assessment teams are in the process of identifying and verifying the number of structures that have been impacted.
The incident meteorologist Ryan Walburn said Friday there is currently no concern for red flag events affecting the crews, with humidity levels expected to be low.
"In terms of fire weather, we always watch wind, we always watch humidity because it impacts fuel moistures," said Walburn. "We're just not too concerned with the wind because the speeds are going to continue to be light."
ByMarc Cota-Robles
Nov 08, 2024, 4:32 PM PST
Camarillo residents with homes still standing feel 'survivor's remorse'
Rich Lindenmeyer's home in Las Posas Estates was spared in the Mountain Fire. His neighbors' homes, however, burned to the ground. He says luck was absolutely on his side.
Lindenmeyer says it didn't take long to realize that he and his family had to evacuate in a hurry as Wednesday's fast moving Mountain Fire took over his Camarillo neighborhood.
"You could eat the smoke. It was crunching in your mouth. The sky was red," he said. "No one imagines this I've never been through this."
He lives at the bottom of Cerro Crest Drive. When he returned to his street, he found both neighboring homes gone, but his house was still standing.
"Oh man, I was like I couldn't believe it, I could not believe it," he said.
Lindenmeyer is among the survivors certainly feeling lucky - but also with a sense of remorse, knowing friends next door lost everything.
"What do you say? What do you say to them, I'm sorry. I'm sorry this happened to you, you know... they're our friends," he said.
Now 48 hours later, he's confident the area will bounce back, but isn't sure what it all means for the people - who called this street home.
"I don't know if these people rebuild, but I think it will be rebuilt and rejuvenated and yeah, you'll have that neighborhood turnover. It'll just take a while I think," he said.
ByLeticia Juarez
Nov 08, 2024, 12:49 PM PST
Red Cross shelter at Camarillo church becomes safe space for evacuees
In the midst of the devastation, people are left with more questions than answers.
Many evacuees were sent to a temporary evacuation shelter set up by the American Red Cross at Padre Serra Church.
Randy Hermans said he left his home on Wednesday, just as he saw a line of fire trucks racing in.
"You just have to pull over and give them the thumbs up, pray for them, because these people are driving towards the disaster, and I'm driving away."
Hermans said his home is about two miles from where the fire broke out but it wasn't damaged.
"We are very fortunate our house safe. We were there yesterday," he said.
Hermans is among the more than four dozen evacuees at the shelter.
Suni Pedraza has spent the last two nights there, hoping she still has a home.
"They are so nice. They are so well prepared, and they are treating us so like ... they are treating me like a princess," she said about the shelter.
But the same can't be said for all evacuees. So far, nearly 200 homes were lost in the fire.
"Everything is gone. I lost everything," said Sayeed Sikder, who lost his home of five years. "We don't know where we are going to go because we have no place to go."
The Red Cross shelter is not only a place for residents to rest, it's also where they can get the latest information on the fire.
Nov 08, 2024, 12:51 PM PST
Before, after photos show Mountain Fire destruction
The fast-moving Mountain Fire moved through Camarillo on Wednesday and destroyed dozens of homes.
Satellite images from Maxar Technologies show a part of a neighborhood before the wildfire swept through the area and the destruction after the flames destroyed homes.