What to Know
- The Mountain Fire broke out in the Moorpark and Camarillo areas of Ventura County.
- Flames fanned by strong winds quickly spread to 132 structures, including homes.
- Firefighters said several people were hospitalized with injuries.
A brush fire quickly grew to nearly 20,000 acres in the hills above Moorpark and Camarillo in Ventura County.
The Mountain Fire, reported around 9 a.m. Wednesday off the 118 Freeway near Balcom Canyon and Bradley roads, resulted in several injuries and forced evacuations in the communities northwest of Los Angeles. Evacuations were ordered as flames spread from brush to several homes.
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The fire department said that the strong winds in the area were contributing to the challenging conditions. The fire crossed the 118 Freeway and entered the Camarillo Heights area and, fanned by strong wind gusts, appeared to break out at different locations.
California's latest statewide wildfire update shows a staggering increase in the number of acres burned compared to last year. As of Monday, Cal Fire reported more than 1 million acres have burned since the start of the year. At this point last year, only 308,000 acres had burned.
The five-year average is 1.2 million acres through Nov. 4.
