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Fierce winds lashed California on Wednesday, feeding fast-moving wildfires that destroyed dozens of homes and forced thousands to evacuate. Forecasters warned that "extreme and life-threatening" fire conditions could continue, fueled by gusts that topped 61 mph.
The Mountain Fire, burning northwest of Los Angeles, rapidly grew to 16 square miles, prompting evacuation orders for over 10,000 residents and threatening 3,500 structures, including homes, ranches, and farmland near Camarillo, according to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. In response to a request from Newsom, federal aid will support the Ventura County communities impacted, FEMA announced Wednesday.
Plumes of thick smoke filled the air, reducing visibility as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze. The fire advanced at an alarming pace, jumping from half a square mile to its current size within hours. Ventura County Fire Captain Trevor Johnson described the intensity on the ground, with crews racing to defend homes.
“This is as intense as it gets. The hair on the back of the firefighters’ neck I’m sure was standing up,” Johnson said at a news conference.
Residents scrambled to escape as embers, traveling up to 2.5 miles, ignited new fires. First responders went door-to-door, contacting 14,000 people to urge evacuations.
“This fire is moving dangerously fast,” Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner warned.
Aerial footage showed entire neighborhoods ablaze as firefighters worked to save structures. Two people were hospitalized for apparent smoke inhalation, though no serious injuries among firefighters were reported.
Among evacuees was Jade Katz, a disabled resident from Camarillo Heights, who packed essentials and her Great Dane service dog, Bella. After waiting for a friend who could not reach her, firefighters escorted Katz to safety as water-dropping helicopters flew overhead.
“I saw five or eight houses that had already burnt to the ground on the way out,” Katz said.
As the Mountain Fire raged, Los Angeles County crews battled another fire near Malibu’s Broad Beach. The Broad Fire burned through 50 acres, briefly prompting Pacific Coast Highway closures and containment efforts that included water drops on multimillion-dollar homes. By midday, the blaze was 15% contained, though two structures were damaged.
The National Weather Service issued rare “particularly dangerous situation” warnings, signaling extreme fire danger from Santa Ana winds, which are forecast to persist into Thursday. Wind speeds could reach 100 mph in some areas, combined with single-digit humidity levels — creating perfect conditions for rapid fire spread.
Utilities across the state began shutting down power to prevent fires sparked by electrical equipment, leaving over 65,000 Southern California homes and 20,000 Northern California homes without power. The fire threat comes just years after deadly fires linked to electrical infrastructure ravaged similar areas, including the 2018 Woolsey Fire and the 2017 Thomas Fire.
California's latest infernos are burning across landscapes still scarred by those previous disasters, a grim reminder of the dangers in a state where dry, windy conditions can turn deadly within moments.
[Information sourced from AP]
