Nov. 11, 7:45 PM update: The Ventura County Fire Department updated the public on the status of the Mountain Fire during a press conference Monday evening. Fire and county officials also spoke about recovery efforts and resources as crews continue to make progress on fire containment. According to Cal Fire, the Mountain Fire currently spans 20,630 acres and is 42% contained as of 7:08 p.m.
“We’re six days into this incident now,” Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner said during Monday night’s press conference. “It feels like it’s been weeks, but we’re six days in.”
Gardner said the fire is looking “really good,” crediting line commanders for their “24/6” work efforts since the fire broke out.
“I saw a number of them come into breakfast this morning, filthy dirty,” Gardner said. “Ash covered faces, ash covered arms, they are working to button this thing up.”
Captain Robert Yoos of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department said several evacuation zones were lifted and several have been reduced to warnings. Yoos said several areas still remain blocked off due to utilities hazards in the affected areas, and said the department is distributing disaster kits and Peer Support services to affected homeowners at local distribution centers. Distribution center locations can be found on the VC Emergency website.
VCFD Battalion Chief Nick Cleary said there was no growth in the fire perimeter on Monday, due in large part to systematic gridding.
“5 to 10 feet apart, we had firefighters and hand crews walking through barrancas, orchards, making sure there were no hot spots.”
Cleary also said infrared drones assisted ground crews in their efforts to quickly locate and extinguish hot spots.
Cleary said fire officials are currently working on getting better water handling devices with sprinkler capabilities to extinguish mulch fires on the South Mountain side of the fire. As a result, Cleary said to expect to see smoke in areas south of Todd Road for about the next five days.
Ventura County Agriculture Commissioner Korinne Bell, said approximately half of the more than the 20,000 acres impacted by the Mountain Fire is agricultural land. Bell said over 500 acres of avocado orchards have been damaged or destroyed, “equating to about $4 million dollars in revenue.”
Bell also said over 130 acres of citrus, 3,000 acres of nursery stock, ten acres of raspberry crops, and 2,500 acres of range land was destroyed. Altogether, Bell said the monetary damages amount to over $6 million, and expects the number to rise, as only 1/4 of the survey has been completed thus far.
Bell said agricultural operators may be eligible for relief from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, and should contact Daisy Banda at [email protected]. Bell also said the Ventura County Department of Agriculture is distributing N-95 masks for agricultural workers, and has 0ver 20,000 available, free of charge, at the department’s Santa Paula and Camarillo offices.
Gardner said increased winds beginning early Tuesday morning are going to elicit anxiety across the county, but said fire officials are confident that the Mountain Fire is “buttoned up.”
“You may see flare ups, you may see dust-ups, and you’re going to feel a lot of ash if you’re downwind from this fire,” Gardner said. “So, let’s get ready for that.”
As the county moves into the recovery stage, Gardner said the recovery is going to be long, complicated, and will require patience.
“Everybody’s trying to do a good job, so be patient, give each other grace, take care of your neighbors, and just remember; this is Ventura [County],” Gardner said. “Ventura [County] is strong and the 805 is resilient.”
A community meeting will be held this Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 6:30 p.m. at Rancho Campana High School in Camarillo, California. Ventura County city representatives will provide information about recovery efforts, programs, and support.
7:30 PM update: In a Thursday evening press conference, Ventura County Fire Department Firefighter and Public Information Officer Andy VanSciver said the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services has dispatched a total of ten damage inspection teams throughout the county to assess structural damage and destruction caused by the Mountain Fire. VanSciver said teams have completed 298 inspections. Of those, 88 structures were damaged and 132 stuctures were destroyed.
According to Cal Fire, the Mountain Fire has grown to 20,458 acres as of 7:21 p.m., and is 5% contained.
5:55 PM update: California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Ventura County Thursday afternoon, ordering, all state government agencies to “utilize and employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for the performance of any and all activities consistent with the direction of the Office of Emergency Services and the State Emergency Plan.”
12:14 PM update: As of 11:46 a.m. the Mountain Fire has been mapped at 19,643.3 acres, according to the Watch Duty app. The fire remains at 0% containment.
10:02 AM update: As of 9:45 a.m. the Mountain Fire has grown to 14,500 acres and is 0% contained.
Nov. 6, 10:55 PM – A brush fire originating in Moorpark, California exploded into the over-10,000 acre Mountain Fire on Wednesday, prompting evacuations in affected areas and destroying properties in western Camarillo, California.
In a press conference on Nov. 6, Ventura County Fire Captain Trevor Johnson said crews were notified of a brush fire off state Route 118 near Balcom Canyon Road in Moorpark Wednesday morning. Johnson said the fire was well-established by the time crews arrived, fueled greatly by the Santa Ana wind event occurring in Southern California and dry brush.
“Resources that arrived on scene initially were faced with a tough firefight,” Johnson said. “Firefighters, right off the bat, engaged in pulling people out of their houses and saving lives.”
Johnson said the fire is currently impacting areas north of state Route 118, south of Santa Paula, California. Fire Division Chief Jeff Shea said embers from the original burn spread to the Camarillo area, impacting foothill neighborhoods including Camarillo Heights.
Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said the number of residents in the Camarillo Heights area is much more dense, leading firefighters to prioritize “life safety” over saving property or containing the fire.
Shea said the combination of fuel, weather, and typography amplified the intensity of the fire.
“We haven’t had a fire in there [Camarillo Heights] in I don’t know how long,” Fryhoff said.
Johnson also said the fire has continued to move in a southwesterly direction.
According to VC Emergency, there are currently seven mandatory evacuation orders in effect, including areas north of Somis, California, Western Camarillo, areas north of U.S. Highway 101 near Central Avenue, and the area east of Santa Paula Community Golf Course.
There is currently an evacuation warning for an area south of South Mountain Road, east of Briggs Road in Santa Paula.
Fryhoff said people should heed evacuation notices and leave when under mandatory evacuation.
“With these fires, they’re very unpredictable. They’re very fast moving. As mentioned, these fires can spot up to two and a half miles away,” Fryhoff said. “Any dry brush around somebody’s home can cause it to catch hold, and by the time the fire has taken hold, you often don’t have time to get out.”
According to the Ventura County Office of Education, local schools, including Moorpark Community College, have canceled classes on Thursday. ACE Charter High School in Camarillo, all locations in the Mesa Union School District, and all locations in the Santa Paula Unified School District have canceled classes on Friday as well.
In an email sent to students and staff on Wednesday, California Lutheran University Associate Vice President for Facilities Planning & Operations Ryan Van Ommeren said the university’s Oxnard satellite campus would remain closed on Thursday, following an early closure Wednesday afternoon.
In a separate email reply sent to students and faculty, Van Ommeren said classes at the university’s Thousand Oaks campus are not canceled, and will go on as planned.
Padre Serra Parish, a Catholic Church in eastern Camarillo is currently Ventura County’s evacuation center for those impacted by the Mountain Fire. According to the church’s Instagram, the Red Cross and Ventura County Emergency Services are at the church helping evacuees with any necessities.
According to Watch Duty, an emergency updates app, as of 10:00 p.m., the Mountain Fire is currently estimated at 14,159 acres and is 0% contained.
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available.
