Some residents in a fire-ravaged part of Ventura County, California, were allowed to return home early Saturday morning, but firefighters were still battling the flames that threatened more than 2,000 buildings and caused thousands to flee from their homes.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but there were some indications it may have been sparked by a power line.
Utility provider Southern California Edison said Friday that it had reenergized a power line near where the fire started 13 minutes before the blaze broke out, the Associated Press reported.
SCE and other utilities, including Pacific Gas and Electric, the state's largest electricity provider, shut off power to hundreds of thousands of customers ahead of the wildfire threat. Power was being restored as the winds died down.
The controversial blackouts aim to prevent fires sparked by power lines and other equipment.
Power lines were blamed for three smaller fires last weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to the AP, and PG&E reported a problem with one of its lines near where the Kincade Fire started. That blaze has scorched more than 120 square miles, destroyed at least 352 buildings and injured four people.
The fast-moving Maria Fire started just southeast of Santa Paula, California, about 6:15 p.m. local time Thursday, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. About 8,000 people were under evacuation orders on Friday, but the order was lifted for some neighborhoods early Saturday morning.
The fire quickly spread overnight Thursday and into Friday morning. It had burned more than 14 square miles and was 20% containted by early Saturday morning, according to Cal Fire.
The Ventura County Fire Department tweeted that "good progress" was being made against the blaze.
While offshore winds were expected to diminish today, the National Weather Service warned that the fire risk was still high.
"As recent fire activity has shown, this remains a dangerous environment for fire growth, even with weaker winds than earlier this week," the NWS said. "Continue to use extra caution with any potential ignition sources, and residents in high fire risk areas should be ready and set to evacuate if emergency officials say so."
Structures were burning and the evacuation of a mobile home park was underway as shifting winds challenged those fighting the Maria Fire, officials said in a Friday afternoon press conference.
Video to posted to social media showed devastating damage to one property.
People flying drones had inhibited firefighting efforts earlier in the day.
“This creates a very significant hazard for our airborne firefighting assets and causes them to land and stop firefighting,” Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub said at the press conference.
At least two structures, including one home, had been destroyed, the Los Angeles Times reported.
A wildfire alert camera caught on video the moment the fire ignited and showed its rapid spread.
The fire threatened Camarillo, Somis, Santa Paula and East Ventura. Dozens of schools in the area were closed Friday and several roadways were shut down. More than 500 firefighters were on the scene. The VCFD said they were battling to protect critical infrastructure including radio communications, high voltage electrical power lines and agricultural crops like avocado and citrus orchards.
Santa Paula residents watched warily as the flames edged closer. One man stood on his roof spraying water from a garden hose on his home while authorities urged residents to evacuate, the Times reported. Thick smoke enveloped the neighborhood.
“They’re on top of this,” resident Elizabeth Sylvester told the Times. “They’re doing the best they can. I’m scared. This isn’t the first time we’ve been through this.”
Residents in a nearby mobile home park piled belongings into suitcases, garbage bags and boxes as the prepared to leave.
Winneke Knuppel has lived in the mobile home park for 22 years. She took down her collection of windchimes as she waited for cat, Geronimo, to come home.
“I can’t leave until my cat comes back,” Knuppel told the Times. “I can’t find him. I’m really anxious. I’m staying as long as I can.”
Meanwhile, firefighters appeared to be gaining ground on other wildfires burning around the state.
Kincade Fire
The Kincade Fire had burned more than 120 square miles and was 68% contained as of Friday morning. A new update from Cal Fire showed that the blaze destroyed 352 structures and damaged 55 others.
Four people were injured.
The fire, which started on Oct. 23 near Geyserville had threatened more than 90,000 structures and 126,000 people were under evacuation orders, although many have been allowed to return home.
Two firefighters were injured on Sunday near the fire, including one that had to be airlifted due to his burns. He was taken to the UC Davis Medical Center and was listed in stable condition on Tuesday, according to a Cal Fire official speaking at a morning news conference. The second firefighter sustained minor burn injuries.
Hillside Fire
The Hillside Fire in San Bernardino destroyed six homes and damaged 18 others, according to the San Bernardino Fire Department. The fire burned through about 200 acres, shutting down a stretch of Highway 18 Thursday morning. More than 1,300 people were ordered to evacuate.
"Everything was just glowing in flames in the back of the house," Matthew Valdivia told CBS News, describing how flames spread to his home while he and his family were sleeping. "I just woke up my wife, and I told her, 'Hey, get the kids, get in the car.'"
The evacuation order was lifted Thursday evening and the highway was reopened.
46 Fire
The 46 fire in the Jurupa Valley, east of Los Angeles in Riverside County, began about 12:30 a.m. Thursday and had burned 300 acres and was 70% contained Friday morning, according to Cal Fire.
Evacuations were ordered for residents south of Limonite Avenue, west of Crestmore, east of Van Buren and north of the Santa Ana Riverbottom.
Evacuation orders for the 46 Fire were lifted at 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon, when the fire was 15% contained. Three residential structures and two outbuildings were destroyed, according to a Riverside County Fire Department website.
The fire was ignited when suspects driving a stolen car during a police chase pulled their damaged vehicle into a field, Riverside Police spokesman Officer Ryan Railsback said. Heat from the damaged vehicle and its tires caused the fire, he said. The two suspects will be charged with arson and other offenses, Railsback said.
Hill Fire
The 46 Fire was preceded in the Jurupa Valley by the Hill Fire, which sent one civilian to a hospital with minor injuries.
The Hill Fire began Wednesday morning. It also forced evacuations, including at a nursing home, where several patients in wheelchairs and stretchers were helped out by workers as thick plumes of smoke shot into the sky, KABC-TV reported. Groups of patients were seen wearing face masks, waiting for transportation near a roadway off-ramp.
As of Friday morning, the Hill Fire had burned about 628 acres and was 80% contained, according to Cal Fire. A house and mobile home were damaged.
Easy Fire
The Easy Fire, which had come dangerously close to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday, was 80% contained as of Friday morning. The blaze in Ventura County had burned about 3 square miles. Evacuation orders were lifted Thursday morning.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, but Southern California Edison filed a report with state regulators that said it began near power lines owned by the utility, the Associated Press reported.
Getty Fire
The Getty Fire began on the west side of the 405 freeway near the Getty Center about 1:30 a.m. Monday, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. In a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti said the blaze was started when a tree branch was blown onto a power line by strong winds. The incident was captured on dashcam footage.
By Wednesday, it had spread to just over 1 square mile and threatened more than 7,000 structures. It was almost 40% contained. Most evacuation orders were lifted by Thursday for all but a small area next to the 405.
Twelve homes were destroyed in the fire and another five were damaged. More than 700 firefighters were on the scene.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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