Huge wildfire near Los Angeles: 28,000 people evacuated, hundreds of firefighters mobilized
A wildfire that broke out Monday morning, May 18, near Los Angeles County has spread to 830 acres (335 hectares), prompting the evacuation of about 28,000 residents.
Fire in Simi Valley/PHOTO: Video capture X @intel_nova
According to the Washington Post, the fire broke out at 10:50 a.m. near the suburbs of the city of Simi Valley, located in the Ventura County area that borders Los Angeles. High winds pushed the flames over hills covered with dry vegetation, threatening the neighborhoods built above them.
Simi Valley's police chief told NBC LA that about 30 minutes earlier, at 10:17 a.m., a resident called to report that he had accidentally hit a rock with his tractor, which authorities believe started the fire.
The Ventura Fire Department said the investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing.
The fire spread to about 72 hectares in just 30 minutes, and by early afternoon it had already exceeded 283 hectares.
More than 550 firefighters are on the scene, according to the Ventura Fire Department, as aircraft make massive releases of water and fire retardant and ground crews build containment lines and try to defend homes.
Ventura County is a high-risk area for wildfires, as the heat and dry vegetation favors the rapid spread of flames toward the suburbs.
A shift in wind direction Monday afternoon gave firefighters hope that the fire would be pushed toward already burned areas, but authorities warned there was still enough vegetation to fuel the fire's spread.
“This is the biggest fire this year,” VanSciver said, noting that California no longer has a clear fire season: “Now we have fires all year round and we are entering the peak period”.
Authorities' response to the Sandy fire was swift and massive, with crews increasing from 200 to 500 in just a few hours. Two elementary schools evacuated their students and teachers, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library announced it had closed its doors for the rest of the day.
Last January, 14 devastating wildfires ravaged the Los Angeles metropolitan area and San Diego County in California.
The fires were exacerbated by drought, low humidity, dry vegetation accumulated after the previous winter and strong Santa Ana winds, which reached 160 km/h in places.
At least 31 people died, more than 200,000 were evacuated, and more than 18,000 homes and buildings were destroyed. The flames consumed more than 23,000 hectares of land.
In October 2025, a 29-year-old man, Jonathan Rinderknecht, was arrested and charged with starting the Palisades fire. Investigators say he intentionally lit a fire on Jan. 1 that was initially thought to be out, but was rekindled by high winds on Jan. 7 and turned into the devastating blaze.
