Several people have been injured and multiple structures have been destroyed or are being threatened by a fast-moving brush fire in Ventura County.
The Mountain Fire has grown rapidly and is now currently covering 14, 149 as at 8pm on Wednesday and is 0% contained. It was 250 acres by 9.15am and grew to 1500 acres by around noon, and 8,800 by around 1pm. By 2.50pm it had grown to 10,458 acres.
The Mountain Fire started Wednesday morning near the 7900 block of Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road, in the Moorpark-Somis area.
The fire is now heavily impacting the Camarillo Heights area, after it crossed Highway 118.
Firefighters from across the region are tackling the large and fast-moving brush fire - named as the Mountain Fire, which broke out on Wednesday morning, near Bradley Road and Balcom Canyon Road, near Somis. Ground crews and helicopters are working to protect lives and property.
Due to extreme wind conditions, fixed-wing aircraft are unable to assist in firefighting efforts. There are regular gusts of over 40mph.
Fire chiefs said that embers were traveling over two miles ahead of the fire line, carried by the strong Santa Ana winds.
There are road closures on Northbound Lewis Road at Las Posas, Eastbound Highway 118 at Wells Road and Westbound Highway 118 at Tierra Rejada Road.
Hundreds of people have evacuated either under a compulsory order or voluntarily, in southern Ventura County.
The following evacuation orders are in effect, but not limited to:
Zone 1 - The area north of Somis, north of the East Los Angeles Ave/Hwy 118, west of Balcom Canyon Road and east of La Vista Avenue.
Zone 2 - Saticoy Country Club, east of Los Angeles Ave, Hwy 118 and south of the Santa Clara River and north of Beardsley Road.
Zone 3 - Areas south of Hwy 118, west of N Lewis Road, north of North Loop Drive and Mission Drive and east of Fairway Drive.
Zone 4 - West Camarillo (Las Posas/Spanish Hills areas, south and east of Central Avenue and Beardsley Road, and west of Anacapa Drive.
Zone 6 - The area extending south of Santa Clara River, east of Los Angeles Avenue, north of Saticoy County Club, and west of Briggs Road.
Zone 7 - The area north of Hwy 101 and south and east of Beardsley Avenue, and south of Central Avenue.
There's an evacuation warning that people in the following areas face a potential threat to life and/or property for neighborhoods. Those who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets and livestock should leave immediately.
Zone 8: An area extending south of South Mountain Road, east of Briggs Road, and west of 12th Street and Bixby Road.
An evacuation center has been set up at Padre Serra Parish, 5205 Upland Road, Camarillo, CA 93012.
An evacuation center has been established for large animals at the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 E. Harbor Blvd, Ventura, CA 93001 and a small animal Evacuation Center has been established at Ventura County Animal Services (Camarillo Airport), 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, 93010.
A smoke advisory has been issued for Ventura County.
Southern California Edison have utilized public safety power shutdowns in the fire area.
There is a red flag warning across Ventura County because of high winds and elevated fire danger.
An information hotline is available by calling 805-465-6650.
