In the border area between Ventura County and Los Angeles County in California, a large-scale wildfire broke out on Thursday afternoon (August 7) and quickly spread, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. At least two small buildings have been destroyed, and authorities have deployed hundreds of firefighters to contain the blaze. As of now, the wildfire is under control to the extent of 28%.
According to the latest report from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), the wildfire, named the “Canyon Fire,” erupted around 1:30 PM on Thursday near Holser Canyon north of Piru. Influenced by hot and dry weather conditions and steep terrain, the fire spread rapidly within a short period. As of Friday afternoon, the fire has burned over 5,300 acres of land, with the containment rate increasing from 25% to 28%.
Andrew Dowd, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department, stated that around 1,400 structures in the county are threatened by the fire. Authorities have issued evacuation orders for approximately 4,200 residents, with another 12,500 people receiving evacuation warnings. Thankfully, there have been no reports of injuries so far.
Dowd also mentioned that at least 400 firefighters have been battling the wildfire throughout the night. The firefighting efforts are being jointly managed by the Ventura County and Los Angeles County fire departments, focusing on constructing firelines, protecting buildings, and reinforcing control lines in hopes of further increasing the containment percentage. A Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) has been secured to support the firefighting operations.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Friday morning that the state has received a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist in addressing the Canyon Fire in Los Angeles County.
Authorities have stated that the cause of the fire is still under investigation and urge the public to closely monitor official evacuation and disaster prevention information.