LOS ANGELES (AP) — Firefighters in Southern California moved forward Saturday to bring under control a wildfire that devastated more than 130 structures, after gusty winds eased and favorable weather conditions were forecast over the weekend.
The Mountain Fire in Ventura County remained within an area of 32 square miles (83 square kilometers) and was 17% contained, said Clint Swensen, fire operations section chief. The fire began Wednesday and expanded rapidly with the arrival of dry, hot and gusty northeast winds, forcing thousands of residents to flee and threatening 3,500 structures in suburban neighborhoods, ranches and agricultural areas around the community of Camarillo.
Red alert warnings indicating high fire risk conditions expired in most of the region on Thursday. Smoke blanketed the area Saturday due to fairly light winds ranging from five to 10 miles per hour (8 to 16 kilometers per hour), the same conditions that were helping firefighters, said Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist with the Service. United States National Meteorological Office, in Oxnard.
“It’s very favorable for the weekend,” Kittell said. “Good for firefighting efforts, but not great for air quality.”
Some forecasts showed winds returning to the area on Tuesday, but not to the extent seen last week, Kittell said.
The region northwest of Los Angeles has seen some of California’s most destructive fires over the years. The Mountain Fire grew rapidly from less than half a square mile (1.2 square kilometers) to more than 16 square miles (41 square kilometers) in just over five hours Wednesday, with gusts exceeding 61 mph (98 km/h). ).
California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in Ventura County.
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This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.
