SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — Authorities ordered more than 17,000 residents to evacuate Tuesday as a dangerous wildfire bore down on suburban communities in Southern California.
The Sandy Fire, fueled by strong winds, erupted Monday in hillsides overlooking Simi Valley, located roughly 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
As of Tuesday morning, the blaze had burned through more than two square miles of dried vegetation and leveled at least one residence, the Ventura County Fire Department reported.
Initial wind gusts exceeding 30 mph drove the flames forward, but overnight conditions brought some relief to firefighting crews, according to department spokesperson Andrew Dowd.
“We’ve made a lot of progress against this fire with those improved weather conditions,” Dowd said. He noted that teams were working to gain additional ground before wind speeds pick up once more.
Officials reported no containment of the fire. Investigators are working to determine what sparked the blaze.
Evacuation directives and advisories remained active across multiple neighborhoods throughout Simi Valley, which houses more than 125,000 residents.
Separately, fire crews were working to control a massive 23-square-mile fire burning on Santa Rosa Island off the Southern California coastline. That blaze consumed a cabin and equipment building while prompting the evacuation of 11 National Park Service workers.
Santa Rosa serves as a favored spot for outdoor recreation and provides habitat for island foxes, spotted skunks and elephant seals.
