Evacuation orders have been issued as a fast-moving brush fire burned in Southern California on Monday.
The Sandy Fire broke out around 10:50 a.m., according to the Ventura County Fire Department. Air tankers and mutual aid have been requested to help battle the flames.
As of 11:30 a.m. local time, the brush fire was estimated at 184 acres and was threatening nearby structures.
Evacuation orders were issued for residents in parts of Simi Valley—located about 41 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles—and into the Thousand Oaks area.
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“We have a good number of air resources on hand,” a fire department spokesperson told “America Reports.”
Around 200 personnel were battling the fire, as well as five helicopters and three air tankers, he said.
Winds were gusting at 10 mph, with northeast Santa Ana winds expected to continue for the next few hours and weaken through the afternoon, before shifting onshore from the southwest fairly around 4 p.m.
Warm and dry conditions are expected to continue through Tuesday.
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A temporary evacuation point is being established at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park in Simi Valley, fire officials said.
In addition to the Sandy Fire, two wildfires broke out in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles over the weekend. Both of those fires have since been fully contained.
The region is still reeling from the catastrophic 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires that exploded in size within hours of each other on Jan. 7, 2025.
