Santa Paula: Thousands of Southern California residents are under evacuation orders as rapidly advancing wildfires ravage communities, authorities report. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning, labeling the conditions as “particularly dangerous”.
Eyewitness footage reveals scenes of urgency, with residents in Camarillo scrambling to escape as thick smoke blankets the skies. Houses and vehicles are shown fully engulfed in flames, underscoring the fire’s severe impact on communities.
The Mountain Fire, spanning over 14,000 acres, has drawn an intense response, with at least 800 firefighters deployed by Ventura County’s fire department, located northwest of Los Angeles. The department has requested additional helicopter support to combat the blaze effectively.
As of Wednesday, the fire left at least two people injured and caused significant damage to structures across Ventura County. California Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed that the wildfire has prompted the evacuation of over 10,000 people and poses a threat to roughly 3,500 structures. Schools in the area remain closed through Friday, per the Ventura County Office of Education.
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The blaze, expanding in scope on Wednesday, is fueled by a potent combination of strong winds and extremely dry air, creating highly volatile conditions. Southern California Edison has proactively shut off power in high-risk areas to reduce the chances of its equipment igniting additional fires, according to the Los Angeles Times.
This year, wildfires have had a substantial impact across the United States, with 8.1 million acres burned so far, surpassing the decade’s annual average of around 7 million acres, as per the National Interagency Fire Center. California alone has seen over triple the area burned compared to the same period last year, according to Cal Fire data.
