Evacuation orders were issued Monday as a fast-moving brush fire tore through Southern California, threatening homes and forcing residents to leave parts of Ventura County.
The Sandy Fire ignited around 10:50 a.m., according to the Ventura County Fire Department. Officials requested air tankers and mutual aid as crews scrambled to keep the flames from pushing deeper into neighborhoods.
By 11:30 a.m. local time, the fire had burned an estimated 184 acres and was threatening nearby structures.
Authorities ordered evacuations in parts of Simi Valley, about 41 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, with the evacuation zone stretching into the Thousand Oaks area as the fire expanded.
Firefighters leaned heavily on aircraft to blunt the fire’s advance.
“We have a good number of air resources on hand,” a fire department spokesperson told “America Reports.”
Roughly 200 personnel were assigned to the blaze, along with five helicopters and three air tankers, the spokesperson said.
Weather conditions added pressure. Winds were gusting around 10 mph, with northeast Santa Ana winds expected to persist for the next few hours, then weaken through the afternoon before shifting onshore from the southwest around 4 p.m., officials said.
Warm, dry conditions are expected to continue through Tuesday, keeping the region on edge as crews work to tighten containment lines.
A temporary evacuation point was being established at Rancho Santa Susana Community Park in Simi Valley, fire officials said.
The Sandy Fire comes as Southern California remains sensitive after another active wildfire weekend. Two fires broke out in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles over the weekend, though both were later fully contained.
The broader region is still reeling from the catastrophic 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires, which exploded in size within hours of each other on Jan. 7, 2025.
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