Southern California Wildfire Puts Over 17,000 Residents Under Evacuation Order

LOS ANGELES, May 20 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- More than 750 firefighters are battling a fast-moving, wind-driven "Sandy Fire" in Southern California's Ventura County, which has put over 17,000 residents under evacuation orders by Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

The Sandy Fire ignited Monday morning near Sandy Avenue and Rudolph Drive in Simi Valley, roughly 48 kilometres northwest of Los Angeles. According to the Simi Valley Police Department, the blaze was sparked accidentally just after 10 am local time when an individual operating a tractor struck a rock during property clearance, creating a spark that ignited the surrounding dry brush.

Fuelled by low humidity and terrain-driven wind gusts, the fire quickly exploded, scorching through 1,385 acres (about 5.6 square kilometres) with 5 per cent containment by Tuesday morning.

Emergency personnel launched an aggressive air and ground assault to protect threatened suburban neighborhoods. Crews were aided overnight by a temporary easing of the winds, allowing firefighters to establish defensive lines. Water-dropping helicopters have been utilising a nearby lake for quick turnaround times, while ground crews scramble to prevent the flames from cresting slopes toward nearby communities.

The state is taking no chances. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Monday evening that the state secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure local agencies receive 75 per cent reimbursement for suppression costs.

In the meantime, local disruption remains severe. The Simi Valley Unified School District canceled all classes Tuesday, and regional environmental officials issued a widespread air quality advisory for both Ventura and Los Angeles counties as thick plumes of gray smoke blanket the region as nervous residents hope for early containment. 

--BERNAMA-XINHUA