The wind-driven Sandy fire was reported on Monday in the hills above Simi Valley, about 30 miles (48km) north-west of Los Angeles, The Guardian reported.
By Tuesday evening, the fire had consumed about 1,698 acres (683 hectares) and destroyed at least one home, according to the Ventura county fire department.
The flames were initially pushed by gusts that topped 30mph (48km/h), but firefighters were aided by calmer winds overnight, said a department spokesperson, Andrew Dowd.
“We’ve made a lot of progress against this fire with those improved weather conditions,” Dowd said. Crews hoped to make further progress before winds increased again, he said.
About 750 firefighters had been assigned to the fire by Tuesday, along with helicopters and air tankers, according to the Ventura County Star.
The fire was 5% contained as of Tuesday evening. The cause is under investigation.
Evacuation orders and warnings were still in place for several neighborhoods in Simi Valley, a city of more than 125,000 people.
Los Angeles officials are monitoring the fire, but expected firefighters in Ventura County to halt its progress.
“While the Sandy Fire is in Ventura County, the Los Angeles Fire Department continues to closely monitor the situation and has deployed resources on the ground – including strike teams, a hand crew, and helicopters – to assist local crews in firefighting efforts,” Los Angeles’s mayor, Karen Bass, said in a statement. “At this time, we do not expect the wildfire to reach the City of Los Angeles.”
To the south-east, two fires broke out midday Tuesday in Riverside County, prompting evacuation orders there. The Bain fire continued to burn uncontained through 907 acres by Tuesday evening. At least four people were injured during the blaze, with three suffering from smoke inhalation and another from “traumatic injuries”, according to ABC7 News.
MNA
Your Comment