This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most recent information on the fire, you can consult:

Firefighters continue to control the mountain fire, increasing containment to more than 30 percent thanks to lower winds over the weekend.

Some evacuation orders and warnings were downgraded or lifted over the weekend. An evacuation center run by the Red Cross at Padre Serra Parish in Camarillo was closed Sunday afternoon.

Since breaking out Wednesday in Ventura County, the fire has destroyed and damaged more than 200 structures and forced thousands of people to flee.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed a decree Friday to support ongoing response and recovery efforts after he proclaimed a state of emergency in Ventura County.

A house is engulfed in flames from the Mountain Fire on Wednesday.

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Etienne Laurent

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AFP via Getty Images

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Despite progress over the weekend, officials warned that winds could return Monday night into Tuesday morning — although not as strong as those that initially fueled the fast-moving fire.

Such dangerous conditions — gusty, dry and widespread — have not been seen since 2020, according to the National Weather Service. The conditions are reminiscent of what we saw during the devastating Woolsey Fire of 2018, which broke out almost exactly 6 years ago on November 8th.

Mountain Fire damage in Camarillo.

The basics of mountain fire

The Mountain Fire broke out around 9 a.m. Wednesday morning near Moorpark, at Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road. It is currently 31% contained.

• Area: 20,630 acres Saturday
• Containment: 36%
• Structures: 67 damaged and 168 destroyed, the majority of which are homes
• Death: None
• Injuries: 6, including 1 firefighter
• Personnel working on the fire: 2,812 Ventura employees County Fire Department and many other agencies, including 463 engines and 19 helicopters

Evacuation map and orders

The following areas remain under evacuation order:

• The area east of CA-118, south of Southern Pacific Milling Road, north of West Mountain Road
• The area south of Highway 118, west of Aggen Road, north of San Miguel Parkway and east of and including Garrido Parkway and Piropo Court.
• Areas south of and including the eastern section of Valley Vista Drive, areas to the west of and including Esteban Drive and Corriente Court, some residences on Calle Converse and Calle Alberca
• Avocado Place north of Crestview and south of Ramona Place
• The area extending south of the Santa Clara River, east of Los Angeles Avenue, north of Saticoy County Club, and west of Briggs Road
• The area west of the Santa Paula Community Golf Course, north of the Santa Clara River, south of Somis
• The area east of the Santa Paula Community Golf Course, north along the Santa Clara River, west of San Cayetano Street
• The area south of the Santa Clara River, north of the bottom of South Mountain Ridge, at the Rock Quarry, west of Grimes Canyon Road, east of San Cayetano Street.
• The area north of Los Angeles Avenue, west of Grimes Canyon Road, east of San Caytano Street, south of the bottom of the South Mountain ridge at the rock quarry.

Evacuation warnings

The following areas were downgraded from an evacuation order to an evacuation warning Friday at 6 p.m.:

• The area east of La Vista Avenue, south of West Avenue and east of La Loma Avenue, west of Bradley Road, north of CA-118
• The area south of Lloyd Butler Ranch Road and West Mountain Road, west of La Vista Avenue, east of CA-118, north of Beardsley Avenue

Officials recommend doing a thorough inspection when you return home from a wildfire, and you may find a checklist here.

For those who will be cleaning up ashes around their home or other areas, you can find more information on how to do so safely in English hereand in Spanish here.

Evacuation shelters

• For large animals:
  • Ventura County Fairgrounds
    10 E. Boulevard du Port
    Ventura, California 93001
• For small animals:
  • Ventura County Animal Services (Camarillo Airport), 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo

School closures

At least 20 schools and districts in Ventura County were closed Friday, including all sites in the Hueneme Elementary School District, Oxnard School District and Somis Union School District.

Monday is a regular school holiday, and Ventura County is monitoring conditions to see if there will be additional closures Tuesday, a list of which you can find. here.

Additionally, all four Malibu schools were closed Friday due to dangerous fire conditions, road closures and power outages, according to officials. This includes all programs at Webster Elementary, Malibu Elementary, Malibu Middle and Malibu High. The Malibu Boys & Girls Club was also closed.

Firefighters are on scene as the Mountain Fire rages in Ventura County on November 6, 2024.

Water Advisory

A “hazardous water alert”, meaning it is not drinkable or boiled, has been issued by Pleasant Valley Mutual Water Company, Crestview Mutual Water CompanyAnd American water from California.

Pleasant Valley customers can visit the office to obtain drinking water, but please bring containers. You can also call 805-482-5061 for more information.

Crestview customers, which include all homes in Ramona, La Cresenta, La Patera, Avocado, La Marina, Crestview, Via Zamora, Sereno Place, Valley Vista, Marine View, Vista Del Mar, Fairway Drive and Alviso Drive, can call 805-482-2001 for more information.

California American Water customers will receive drinking water until the alert is lifted and can call 626-712-8344 for more information.

All three companies will need to make repairs and send lab samples to ensure the water meets state requirements, which could take several days to a week.

What we know so far

The mountain fire broke out in the Somis area around 9 a.m. Wednesday and almost immediately triggered mandatory evacuations in Ventura County.

It spans more than 20,600 acres and has jumped Highway 118, with nearly a dozen injuries reported.

Andrew Dowd, a public information officer for the Ventura County Fire Department, told LAist the fire was active in several different areas: the northeast perimeter along South Mountain Road as it directs to the city of Santa Paula, the Camarillo Heights area, and the Somis area.

“With the winds that we have and the weather conditions that we have, which don’t seem trivial, the fire as a whole is really a significant area of ​​concern,” he said.

Standing atop a hill near a temporary evacuation center in Padre Serra Parish, Cheryl Sabato said she evacuated her home in the Somis area earlier Wednesday morning.

“It was pretty painful,” Sabato told LAist as she watched Camarillo burn below.

“It’s crazy. We have them every year, but not to the point where it exceeds the crest,” she added, surprised that the fire crossed Route 118.

Helicopters dropped water on the flames Wednesday afternoon in an attempt to save hillside homes in Camarillo. Residents watched the scene, hoping that their homes would be spared.

The Mountain Fire rages in Ventura County on November 6, 2024.

VC Fire has at least six response crews on scene, with additional crews assisting from LA City.

Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Wednesday afternoon that he had authorized the use of federal dollars to help California fight the Mountain Fire. This money can be used for field camps, supplies, equipment use and other firefighting expenses.

According to FEMA, as of November 6, all homes threatened by the fire were primary residences.

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