Ventura County brush fire burns homes in Camarillo, Moorpark – NBC 7 San Diego

A wildfire moving at devastating speed in the Moorpark and Camarillo areas of Ventura County burned more than 14,000 acres Wednesday and forced evacuations as strong winds pushed the flames into neighborhoods.

At least two people were injured and hospitalized for smoke inhalation, while several houses burned in the mountain fire. The fire was reported around 9 a.m. near Highway 118, near the 7900 block of Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road. Fire officials said high winds in the area contributed to the challenging conditions.

The fire crossed Highway 118 and entered the Camarillo Heights area.

“Several individuals were injured and transported to local hospitals,” the spokesperson said Ventura County Fire Department said. “Numerous structures are currently threatened.”

Homes were destroyed in the Camarillo and Moorpark areas. Video from NewsChopper4 showed several homes burned to the ground, but authorities had no estimate of the number of homes destroyed.

#MountainFire UPDATE:
The fire has crossed Highway 118 and is now impacting the Camarillo Heights area. Evacuation orders are in effect and we urge residents to follow these orders for their safety. Several individuals were injured and transported to local hospitals.… pic.twitter.com/rWpKIdDfpe

— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) November 6, 2024

Residents in Ventura County are on edge as the Mountain Fire burns more homes. Amber Frias reports for NBC4 News at 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

Strong winds caused fixed-wing aircraft to be grounded due to “very dangerous” conditions caused by gusty winds. The wind can cause turbulence for pilots. Thick smoke also made it difficult to see from the air.

Water-dropping helicopters still made flights on the fire, some dropping water directly on houses.

“140 firefighters are on scene, using 58 fire apparatus, and additional helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft have been requested to assist,” the department said.

The strongest winds of the week were expected Wednesday, with gusts up to 80 mph in the mountains and foothills of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Similar winds are expected again in the mountains on Thursday evening.

Chief Jeff Shea of ​​the Ventura Fire County Department noted the red flag weather conditions in the region and how they will contribute to the flames through Thursday.

As residents of Camarillo Heights brace for the Mountain Fire, one family, including a retired firefighter, is doing everything they can to save their home. Karma Dickerson reports for NBC4 News at 5:30 PM on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

“What that means is critically low relative humidity,” he said. “The amount of moisture in the air is less than 10%, which is critical for us and for fire behavior and persistent Santa Ana winds.”

“Wind gusts of up to 100 mph are possible in wind-prone mountainous locations,” according to a statement from county emergency officials. “In addition to windy conditions, low relative humidity with poor recovery overnight is expected. A Red Flag Warning has been issued for all areas of Ventura County from 4 a.m. Wednesday through 6 p.m. Thursday.”

During a news conference Wednesday, Ventura County Fire Department Chief Dustin Gardner urged all residents under evacuation orders to leave their properties as quickly as possible.

“This is not one of those fires where you can wait and predict and maybe stay home,” he said. “Your houses can be replaced, but your lives cannot. Get out… Our firefighters and law enforcement are doing everything they can to protect lives, so we need your help to stay out of the way.”

Evacuation orders

• N Hwy 118 to the ridge, west to Saticoy County Club
• Saticoy Country Club to Balcom Canyon Rd.
• North Lewis Rd to Los Posas Country Club north of Loop Drive (Camarillo Heights Area)
• East to Balcom Canyon Road

Evacuation warnings

• Neighborhoods west of Wells Road, east of Petit, north of the Santa Clara River and south of Foothill Road.

Evacuation shelters

• Padre Serra Parish — 5205 Upland Rd., Camarillo, CA 93012
• Ventura County Fairgrounds (for large animals) — 10 E. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001
• Ventura County Animal Services (for small animals) — 600 Luchtvaart Dr. Camarillo, 93010

A man whose home was destroyed by the Camarillo Mountain Fire shares his thoughts on the loss. This video aired on NBC4 News on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 7:00 PM.

School closures

Due to the ongoing fire, several schools in Ventura County have announced they will be closed. The following schools are closed on Thursday and Friday:

• ACE Charter High School
• Mesa Union School District
• Santa Paula Unified School District

The following schools and districts are closed on Thursday:

• Bridges Charter School
• Briggs School District
• CAPE Charter School
• Golden Valley Charter School Resource Center
• Hueneme Elementary School District
• Ivy Tech Charter School Resource Center
• MATES Charter School
• Mupu primary school district
• Oxnard School District (K-8)
• Oxnard Union High School District
• Peak Prep Academy Resource Center
• Pleasant Valley School District
• Rio School District
• River Oaks Academy Resource Centers (Oxnard and Westlake)
• Santa Clara Elementary School District
• Somis Union School District
• University Preparatory Charter School
• Vista Real Charter High School (Camarillo, Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Ventura)

The Mountain Fire, which broke out this morning in Ventura County, has burned at least 25,000 acres. Jonathan Gonzalez reports for NBC4 News at 5:00 PM on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

According to Captain Trevor Johnson of the Ventura County Fire Department, the fire is burning in several ways.

“The fire is burning a variety of fuels, including agriculture and various types of shrubs and grasses that we have in our county,” Johnson said. “Sources who initially arrived on the scene encountered a heavy firefight.”

Gus Garcia, owner of a ranch south of the fire, told The Associated Press he was waiting to see if conditions would change before evacuating horses and livestock. His ranch is surrounded by others with horses and alpacas, and Garcia said his neighbors in the canyon didn’t seem panicked.

“The horse community is preparing for this because it’s always possible here,” he said.

California’s latest wildfire update shows a staggering increase in the number of acres burned compared to last year. On Monday, Cal Fire reported that more than 1 million acres have burned since the start of the year. Last year, only 308,000 hectares had burned at this point.

The five-year average is 1.2 million hectares through November 4.

Ventura County residents can register through VC Alert to receive the latest emergency information from the county. Click here for more information.