Hundreds of firefighters are battling a rapidly spreading fire in Southern California. The so-called “Mountain Fire” near the city of Camarillo spread to twice its size almost overnight. According to authorities, the flames charred an area of over 80 square kilometers. The fire department said on Thursday that numerous houses had been burned down or damaged, but without giving any specific figures. The Los Angeles Times reported that over 50 buildings were destroyed.
The fire drove thousands of people from their homes in the affected region, about 80 kilometers northwest of Los Angeles. The authorities ordered further evacuations. California Governor Gavin Newsom took a look at the situation on site. Newsom requested emergency assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) to fight the fire. More than 3,500 homes and businesses are threatened in the affected region, it said in a statement.
The flames spread quickly due to strong winds. Photo: Noah Berger/AP/dpa
Southern California is currently affected by strong Santa Ana winds, which occur primarily in fall and winter. The dry winds would worsen the extreme fire danger, it said. Added to this are persistent summer temperatures and dry vegetation that easily ignites.
The responsible energy supplier, Southern California Edison, switched off the electricity in particularly vulnerable areas as a precautionary measure. Strong gusts of wind can damage power poles and lines and cause sparks. This has caused repeated fires in the past. On Thursday, around 70,000 customers were without power, the Los Angeles Times reported.
