A day after the Canyon Fire ignited in Ventura County, it has torched nearly 5,000 acres of land and triggered evacuation orders.
California wildfire prompts evacuations as wildfires burn in the West
The Canyon Fire in Ventura County, California, grew over 1,000 acres in just a few hours prompting evactuaions.
Firefighters north of Los Angeles were working Friday, Aug. 8, to gain control of a wildfire that sparked a day earlier and quickly exploded in size, triggering multiple rounds of evacuations as flames neared several communities.
The Canyon Fire was first reported around 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 in a mountaineous area near Lake Piru, a resevior located about 50 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The blaze soon threatened ranches and other nearby properties.
Fueled by dry conditions, high heat and strong winds, the fire has since torched 4,856 acres of land in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, according to Cal Fire, the state’s firefighting agency. The cause of the blaze remains unclear and so far no structures have been reported damaged.
The fire was last pushing toward power lines and the communities of Hasley Canyon, Hathaway Ranch and Val Verde, according to a late night update from fire officials.
Multiple helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, including several air tankers, dropped water and retardant on the flames throughout the afternoon. Officials also requested additional firefighters, including hand crews, engines and bulldozers, Andrew Dowd, a spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department, told the Ventura County Star, part of the USA TODAY Network.
“Firefighters are working incredibly hard through steep terrain in hot weather with very dry fuels,” he said.
It wasn’t the only dangerous blaze that led to evacuations in California. The Gifford Fire burning in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties has consumed 155 square miles of land, making it the largest wildfire the state has seen this year. The blaze, which is 15% contained, threatens over 800 structures and has injured three people, officials said.