Share and Follow
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — In Southern California, over 17,000 residents faced evacuation orders on Tuesday due to a wildfire threatening suburban neighborhoods.
The Sandy Fire, driven by strong winds, ignited on Monday in the hills near Simi Valley, approximately 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.
By Tuesday morning, the blaze had spread across more than two square miles (about five square kilometers) of parched vegetation and claimed at least one home, as reported by the Ventura County Fire Department.
Initially, the fire was propelled by gusts exceeding 30 mph (48 kph), but overnight, firefighters benefited from a decrease in wind strength, according to department spokesperson Andrew Dowd.
“Thanks to the improved weather conditions, we’ve made significant headway in containing the fire,” Dowd noted. Crews aimed to capitalize on this progress before the winds picked up again, he added.
The fire was 5% contained. The cause is under investigation.
Evacuation orders and warnings were still in place for several neighborhoods in Simi Valley, a city of more than 125,000 people that was shrouded in smoke as aircraft made water drops.
Meanwhile, firefighters were battling a 23-square-mile (59-square-kilometer) blaze on Santa Rosa Island, off the Southern California coast. The fire destroyed a cabin and an equipment shed and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees.
There was no containment as of Tuesday morning.
Santa Rosa, a popular destination for camping and hiking, is home to island foxes, spotted skunks and elephant seals.