The Mountain Fire has grown to a staggering 20,485 acres and is only 5% contained as of Thursday afternoon. It’s been wreaking havoc across homes, farms, and horse ranches in Ventura County.
The fire kicked off around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday near Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road, just north of State Route 118 in the Somis and Camarillo area.
What started as a modest 50-acre brush fire, fueled by those strong Santa Ana winds, quickly spread across the highway and ballooned in size.
Helicopter and ground footage captured the heartbreaking scene of numerous homes engulfed in flames while residents hurriedly evacuated with their belongings, pets, and often their horses too.
Fire officials have warned that thousands of homes in Moorpark, Camarillo, Camarillo Heights, and Santa Paula are still at risk as of Thursday.
The mandatory evacuations have forced over 10,000 people to leave their homes behind.
During a news briefing on Thursday, incident commanders mentioned that they would be sending out ten damage assessment teams to figure out exactly how many houses have been lost to the flames. As for what started this fire? That’s still under investigation.
The smoke from the Mountain Fire has led the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District to issue an Air Quality Alert—so it’s best for folks to stay indoors or avoid heavy outdoor activities for now.
If you need a place to go during this chaos, an evacuation center has been set up at Padre Serra Parish located at 5205 Upland Ave., in Camarillo.
For those with large animals, you can bring them over to the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 10 E. Harbor Blvd., while smaller pets can be taken to Ventura County Animal Services at the Camarillo Airport on 600 Aviation Drive. Stay safe out there!