Fast-moving blaze whips through hills in Southern California: 'This is a tough fire fight'

VENTURA, Calif. — A brush fire that erupted northwest of Los Angeles on Wednesday has burned more than 14,000 acres, engulfing homes, prompting rescues, and forcing power shutoffs to thousands of residents.

Strong Santa Ana winds are fanning the blaze, which started shortly before 9 a.m. PT. The Mountain Fire, as it has been named, reportedly jumped Highway 118 near Camarillo Heights a bit after 10:45 a.m.

During a news briefing Wednesday afternoon, Ventura County Fire Captain Trevor Johnson said the fire is spreading west and southwest. Firefighters have pulled people out of their homes and driven them to safety in fire trucks.

"This is a tough fire fight," Johnson said.

No life-threatening injuries have been reported, according to officials, but at least two people were treated at hospitals for smoke inhalation.

Mandatory evacuation orders are in effect in several zones, according to Cal Fire — California's wildfire-fighting agency — which said on its website the fast-moving blaze represented "an immediate threat to life.''

Over 25 million people in California have been under red flag warnings or fire weather watches this week because of warm temperatures, low humidity, and wind gusts of over 80 mph near highly populated areas. The advisories are in place until Thursday.

Power to roughly 74,000 customers has been shut off to reduce fire risk, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Fire charred over 14K acres

As of 7:46 p.m., the fire had burned 14,148 acres and was not contained, according to the latest incident update released by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

Cal Fire did not release figures on how many homes were destroyed but homes in or near the communities of Camarillo and Somis were seen burning throughout the day.

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles said in an updated forecast Wednesday night that conditions in the area are expected to improve by Thursday night. But northeast winds were forecast to increase late Wednesday into Thursday morning with "very poor" overnight humidity recoveries.

"However, winds Thursday will not be as strong as Wednesday, and winds will decrease faster in the afternoon," the weather service said. "Much lighter winds expected Thursday night into Friday with a shift back to a westerly direction."

FEMA authorizes funds to help battle the Mountain Fire

On Wednesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency authorized the use of federal funds to help California battle the Mountain Fire.

The state submitted a request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant, according to a FEMA news release. The request was sent when the fire threatened 3,500 homes in the communities of Somis, Camarillo, and Saticoy, which officials said have a combined population of 30,000.

The grant will provide federal funding for up to 75% of eligible firefighting costs. Eligible costs include the expenses for equipment use, field camps, supplies, and mobilization to fight the fire. FEMA’s Region 9 Administrator authorized the funds.

Several houses were set ablaze

The Ventura County Fire Department said 140 firefighters are at the scene but that planes that drop fire retardant cannot be used in much of the affected area due to powerful offshore winds, the strongest such event the state has experienced in years.

Johnson said retardant has been deployed in some parts where feasible, and aircraft in other areas have dropped water to fight the blaze.

The fire captain said the exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner said Wednesday that several agencies are responding to the Mountain Fire, including firefighters from the city of Los Angeles and nearby counties. He urged those who received an evacuation order to leave.

"Bushes are burning, grass is burning, hedgerows are burning, agricultural fields are burning, and structures are burning," Gardner said. "This fire is moving dangerously fast."

Several houses have burned and many are threatened in the Camarillo Heights neighborhood east of the oceanside city of Ventura, California. The intensity of the fire, fueled by the winds and dry vegetation, presented a daunting challenge in trying to contain it, especially without the planes.

"It’s like trying to put out a blowtorch with a squirt gun," fire department captain Tony McHale told KABC-TV in Los Angeles.

Campus evacuates, students taken to middle school

Camarillo Heights Elementary School was evacuated, according to a statement from the Pleasant Valley School District. The remaining Camarillo Heights students were transported by bus to Monte Vista Middle School.

Himelda Rubio, an executive assistant to the district's superintendent, said in a call just after 1:00 p.m. that most of the evacuated Camarillo Heights students have been picked up but a few remain at Monte Vista. The district has logged no injuries or property damage.

As of Wednesday evening, 11 county public school districts and a dozen charter campuses, serving more than 56,000 students, had announced closures for Thursday, according to the Ventura County Office of Education.

Evacuations, road closures

Billowing smoke blew into Camarillo on Wednesday as the fire remained active in hillside areas. Some traffic signals were out, snarling traffic.

Radio traffic indicates fire crews have been sent to some homes in the area to assist people unable to evacuate as flames approached. Some people with injuries have been taken by ambulance to local hospitals, fire officials said.

Radio traffic indicated some had gone to Los Robles Regional Medical Center. Large animals were being evacuated to the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Padre Serra Parish in Camarillo was designated as a temporary evacuation zone where people can get information, call to relatives, and have a place to stay as they plan their next moves, said David Wagner, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross is also prepared to convert the site into a full shelter with a trailer carrying cots and food on standby, he said. On Wednesday, more than a dozen pets and their owners milled around the parish parking lot.

David Rodriguez, 27, stood near the trunk of his car with his girlfriend Kate Becker, and their dog, Leo, making calls to friends and family. They live in Camarillo Heights, one of the neighborhoods under an evacuation order.

"We both work in Simi Valley and we decided to take off from work early when we heard the news to try to get our pets and valuables," Rodriguez said.

Contributing: Minnah Arshad, USA TODAY

(This story was updated to add new information.)