The Mountain Fire in Ventura County has burned more than 20,000 acres as of Thursday afternoon, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
The blaze started at about 9 a.m. Wednesday morning near the intersection of Balcom Canyon and Bradley roads in the unincorporated community of Somis. Spurred by heavy winds, the fire quickly grew.
As of Thursday, the fire remained at 0% containment, according to Andy VanSciver, public information officer for the Ventura County Fire Department, who gave an update on the incident at a morning news conference.
“The word containment doesn’t necessarily mean that they aren’t gaining positive control over the fire,” said Kim Dellacort, emergency manager for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. “Containment means that there is a line drawn around the fire.”
A red flag warning, which indicates conditions for high fire danger exist, will remain in effect until 6 p.m. tonight, the National Weather Service Los Angeles said in a post on X, when winds are expected to diminish.
Natalie Hernandez, the public information officer for Ventura County, said residents should heed evacuation orders and warnings, allowing first responders to focus on the firefight.
“They really should go so that our first responders can do the best work possible in order to protect their life and the safety of the properties that they’re responding to,” she said.
To help residents plan for natural disasters, the Ventura County Fire Department has put together a list of resources that can be found on the department’s website. The website also has information on planning for wet weather.
“We’re a county that has experienced a significant number of natural disasters, and particularly really devastating wildfires,” Hernandez said.
But wildfires impact communities far beyond the perimeter of the blaze, as Scott Epstein, the planning and rules manager for the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) explained.
“Smoke can travel pretty long distances,” he said.
South Coast AQMD is a government agency responsible for regulating air pollution in Southern California, specifically the four counties — Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange County and San Bernardino.
Epstein said he expects to see the biggest impact on air quality by tomorrow afternoon and recommended people check the real-time air quality index on the AQMD website. If the air quality is poor, he recommended that people stay indoors, keep their windows and doors closed, and run an indoor air conditioner or air purifier. For those who have to go outside, he recommends wearing an N95 mask.
“The goal is to minimize the amount of smoke that you’re breathing,” he said.