The Sandy Fire in Simi Valley has burned 1,400 acres, destroyed one home, and forced 33,000 to evacuate. Smoke and air quality warnings are affecting Woodland Hills and the broader San Fernando Valley as firefighters battle shifting winds.
Woodland Hills residents woke up to hazy skies and an air quality advisory Tuesday as the Sandy Fire continued to burn through Simi Valley just across the county line.
The fast-moving brush fire erupted Monday morning near Sandy Avenue in Simi Valley and has scorched approximately 1,386 acres with only 5% containment as of early Tuesday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
"Winds are carrying smoke from the Sandy fire into Los Angeles, and air quality may be impacted," said Jamie Stewart, spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department. "If you are sensitive to smoke or have respiratory conditions, stay indoors, keep windows closed, and limit outdoor activity."
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a wildfire smoke advisory through Tuesday evening. The district said air quality could reach "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" levels or higher in parts of the San Fernando Valley.
Residents in Woodland Hills and surrounding communities should expect to see and smell smoke throughout the day. The advisory advises residents to:
The fire destroyed one home on Trickling Brook Court in Simi Valley. At least two burned-out cars were also found at the residence, according to KTLA.
"All of a sudden, everything just turned black," said Ron Weschler, a Simi Valley resident who watched the fire approach his neighborhood. "The wind was blowing so hard, you couldn't breathe."
More than 33,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders in Ventura County, according to Andrew Dowd, spokesperson for the Ventura County Fire Department. An additional 10,220 people are under evacuation warnings.
Evacuation warnings have also been issued in Los Angeles County for communities including Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Chatsworth, West Hills, and the Lake Manor neighborhood.
More than 750 firefighters from local and state agencies worked through the night to build containment lines and target hotspots. Water-dropping helicopters equipped with night vision capabilities continued operations overnight.
"We have made tremendous progress on this fire," Dowd said. "A lot of great work has been done."
But officials warned that conditions could change quickly. Meteorologist Bryan Lewis with the National Weather Service in Oxnard said light Santa Ana winds out of the northeast are expected Tuesday morning, with gusts up to 20 mph possible. Winds are expected to shift direction later in the day.
"This is a dynamic fire. We are expecting changes in the weather. We want to be prepared for it," Dowd said.
The Simi Valley Unified School District closed all campuses Tuesday. Superintendent Hani Youssef said the district would evaluate conditions Tuesday afternoon before communicating about Wednesday.
Evacuation resources include:
Governor Gavin Newsom announced Monday evening that his office secured a fire management assistance grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The grant allows local, state, and tribal agencies to apply for 75% reimbursement of eligible fire suppression costs.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the Los Angeles Fire Department deployed strike teams, a hand crew, and helicopters to assist Ventura County crews. She said the department also pre-positioned resources in the San Fernando Valley.
"While the Sandy Fire is in Ventura County, the Los Angeles Fire Department continues to closely monitor the situation and has deployed resources on the ground to assist local crews in firefighting efforts," Bass said in a statement. "At this time, we do not expect the wildfire to reach the City of Los Angeles."
The cause of the Sandy Fire remains under investigation. Unconfirmed reports suggest it may have been ignited by a spark during a brush abatement project. Ring video showed a tractor leaving the area around the time the fire started, according to KTLA.
No injuries have been reported.
This article was generated with AI assistance.