Rapidly spreading brush fire forces thousands to evacuate in California

A fast-moving brush fire in Ventura County, north of Los Angeles, broke out on Thursday and led to thousands of evacuations.

The Canyon fire started around 1:30 pm and had spread to more than 7.6 square miles (19.7 sq km) by 11 pm, officials said. It was 0% contained as of Thursday night and moving east. The blaze is burning south of Lake Piru in the Los Padres National Forest, near Castaic Lake, which was affected by the Hughes fire in January. That earlier fire burned about 15 square miles (39 sq km) in six hours and prompted evacuation orders or warnings for 50,000 people.

In Los Angeles County, evacuation orders cover about 4,200 residents and 1,400 structures, with another 12,500 residents under evacuation warnings, said Andrew Dowd, spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department. In Ventura County, most affected areas are sparsely populated, though 56 people were evacuated from the Lake Piru recreation area.

Dowd described the fire as a “very dynamic situation” due to hot, dry weather, steep terrain, and dry vegetation. About 250 firefighters are working on the ground, supported by helicopters and other aircraft.

Kathryn Barger, the LA County supervisor for the area, urged people to comply with evacuation orders. “Extreme heat and low humidity in our north county have created dangerous conditions where flames can spread with alarming speed,” she said. “If first responders tell you to leave, go – without hesitation.”

The fire began as the Gifford fire in central California grew into the state’s largest wildfire of the year, threatening hundreds of homes and burning out of control in the Los Padres National Forest. That blaze has spread to 154 square miles (399 sq km) and is 15% contained. It started from at least four smaller fires that broke out last Friday along State Route 166, forcing closures in both directions east of Santa Maria. Four people have been injured. The cause is under investigation.

Officials say wildfire risk will remain high through the weekend as a heatwave intensifies. August and September are typically the most active wildfire months in California. “In southern California, the threat is driven by persistent drought, high grass loads, and weakening coastal moisture,” according to a state wildfire forecast.

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