Edhat Staff
Update by the edhat staff
10:30 a.m., November 8, 2024
As of Friday morning, the Mountain Fire fire is currently at 20,596 acres with 7% containment.
There are currently 2,420 personnel on scene, including 378 engines, 20 Water Tenders, 34 Hand Crews, 17 Dozers and 14 helicopters.
Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) is in unified command with CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 5. Damage assessment teams are in process of identifying and verifying the number of structures that have been impacted.
Reports state 132 structures ares destroyed with another 88 damaged. The numbers are expected to rise in the coming days.
The fire is burning in steep, rugged terrain with dry and receptive fuels that continue to challenge containment efforts. Fire activity has decreased due to a decrease in winds over the area.
“Our thoughts are with all of members of our local Ventura County community through this devastating incident,” said VCFD.
A large animal evacuation center has been established at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara. A public information hotline has been established. Affected residents can call 805-465-6650 for assistance. Evacuation orders remain in place. Residents are encouraged to visit VCEmergency.com for the most current evacuation information. An evacuation center has been setup at Padre Serra Parrish at 5205 Upland Rd in Camarillo.
The video is from inside of the Ventura County Air Unit Firehawks as they perform water drops over the fire yesterday.
#mountainfire update; The fire is currently at 20,596 acres with 7% containment. There are currently 2,420 personnel on scene, including 378 engines, 20 Water Tenders, 34 Hand Crews, 17 Dozers and 14 helicopters.
VCFD is in unified command with CAL FIRE Incident Management Team… pic.twitter.com/crvkzjvHpW
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) November 8, 2024
Update by the edhat staff
November 7, 2024
As of Thursday morning, the Ventura County Fire Department reports the Mountain fire is currently at 14,500 acres with 0% containment.
The fire remains active through the affected area as ground crews and aviation resources continue working to fight this fire.
Evacuation orders remain in place. Residents are encouraged to visit VCEmergency.com for the most current evacuation information.
An evacuation center has been setup at Padre Serra Parrish at 5205 Upland Rd in Camarillo. A large animal evacuation center has been established at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
A public hotline has been established by the Office of Emergency Services. Affected residents can call 805-465-6650 for assistance.
Reported by the edhat staff
November 6, 2024
A growing wildfire, now named the Mountain fire, has abruptly forced the residents of Moorpark, Camarillo, and parts of Ventura into a frenetic escape after it surged through their neighborhoods on Wednesday.
The fire, fueled by intense Santa Ana winds and dry conditions, has burned numerous homes and prompted efforts to rescue trapped individuals.
The Mountain fire, propelled by high winds that made air support initially impossible, has posed a significant challenge for firefighting efforts.
Authorities reported that the fire ignited near the 7900 block of Bradley Road and Balcom Canyon Road shortly before 9:00 a.m. and jumped Highway 118, near Camarillo Heights, shortly after 10:45 a.m., leading to a complete closure of the freeway between Oxnard and Camarillo.
The fire broke out during a severe Santa Ana wind event, with gusts hitting 70 to 80 mph in parts of Ventura County. Such strong winds have not only fueled the fire but have also caused power outages and significant traffic disruptions while heightening the overall risk of more fires.
Traffic flows in surrounding areas show residents fleeing north to Santa Barbara and south to Los Angeles.
#mountainfire update; The fire is currently impacting the Camarillo Heights area and is estimated at 8,800 acres. Numerous structures have been impacted by this fast-moving fire.
Firefighters first priority continues to be life safety and we are strongly encouraging all… pic.twitter.com/hBRtGwcAV4
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) November 6, 2024
Throughout the day, Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputies were seen in video footage rescuing older residents from Moorpark. Some residents, unable to walk, were carried into police cars which sped away from the advancing flames.
The Mountain fire is estimated to have reached 10,500 acres with an unknown number of homes burned.
The Santa Barbara Fire Department stated smoke from the Mountain Fire is visible in parts of South County, but confirmed there is no fire in the area.
“SBFD has sent fire personnel to assist Ventura County. All City of Santa Barbara fire stations remain fully staffed. Stay informed and alert of changing conditions,” the department stated.
The following road closures were in effect as of early afternoon Wednesday:
- Northbound Lewis Road at Las Posas
- Eastbound Highway 118 at Wells Road
- Westbound Highway 118 at Tierra Rejada Road
- 101 northbound off ramps at Central Avenue
For the latest on evacuations and power shutoffs, visit vcemergency.com or call a hotline at 805-465-6650.
Donny buy or build in a fire zone.
Don’t buy or build in a fire zone.
Still supporting cramming more housing into our cities, huh? Any idea what kind of issues that will cause?
What about cities/towns that are entirely within a fire zone, like Montecito? Shut em down?
That’s not particularly helpful for people who bought homes that LATER became a fire zone.
Undo what happened to make it a fire zone. Let them occupy their fire traps but no more buy/build.
No buy/build in Montecito. 10,000.homes in Ventura are threatened -it would have been easy too prevent this. Millions of acres available in non fire areas.
RUBY – So, you close Montecito. Now, what do people do with their homes there if they move out? Not sell them and just abandon them?
Where were those 10,000 families in Ventura supposed to live? Crammed into the city?
Where are the “millions of acres” in Santa Barbara County to rehome all those who are no longer allowed to buy/build homes outside of the dense urban areas?
How do you “undo” the mountains and hills covered in dry brush? THAT is what the fire zones are. Do you water them more? Oh wait, pave them over! Yes! Turn our rural areas into concrete.
Or, are you finally getting to something here – “undo” the human-caused climate change that is making these fires so much more deadly? Nah…. that’s too hard. Just pave over everything.
What is your proposal to “undo” human caused climate change? Every current best effort is struggling to just slow it down.
TARSAND – I didn’t say I have one, nor is that the point here.
These. Fires have been on for centuries.
Not at these intensities. But, then, you always seem to voice an opinion devoid of factual backing.
Um, Rube – The only non-fire areas in the state are the heavily urbanized areas, and even those aren’t immune.
I’m talking nonfire areas throughout the United States, not just CA – there’s plenty. Also just look at a new city in our central valley. Stay out of existing cities. Most anything beats destruction of your home from fire. Hard to believe you guys want to champion building in fire areas while many, many homes are burning tonight.
Your thought processes and reasoning are really special. Is there such a thing as rationality-divergent?
So irrational to want to keep homes out of fire areas.
RUBY – the desire is not irrational, your ideas are.