By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A wildfire burning in the hills above Simi Valley, California, prompted evacuation orders for more than 17,000 people as of Tuesday.
• The Sandy Fire ignited Monday and had burned more than two square miles, destroying at least one home, according to fire officials.
• Firefighters made progress overnight as winds eased, though containment remained limited at 5%.
• Evacuation orders and warnings remained in effect for several Simi Valley neighborhoods as air and ground crews worked the fire.
• The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
SIMI VALLEY, CALIF. — More than 17,000 residents were under evacuation orders Tuesday as a wildfire burned in the hills above Simi Valley, threatening homes and sending smoke across the area, fire officials said.
The Sandy Fire was reported Monday in Ventura County, about 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles. By Tuesday morning, the fire had burned more than two square miles of dry brush and destroyed at least one residence, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.
Fire officials said the blaze was initially driven by wind gusts exceeding 30 mph, but calmer conditions overnight allowed crews to slow the fire’s spread. Containment was estimated at 5% as of Tuesday morning.
Evacuation orders and warnings remained in place for multiple neighborhoods in Simi Valley, a city of more than 125,000 residents, as aircraft conducted water drops and ground crews worked to protect structures.
The cause of the Sandy Fire is under investigation, officials said.