Wildfire rages within Southern California: Thousands forced to evacuate
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Thousands of acres have already burned, as California firefighters work tirelessly to stop this rapidly forming wildfire.
Thousands of acres have already burned, as California firefighters work tirelessly to stop this rapidly forming wildfire.
Dubbed the Mountain Fire, it has grown to over 20,000 acres of land since its singe commenced over a few hours on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Evacuation orders have been in effect for various areas, such as Camarillo Heights, Santa Paula, and Fillmore. Though some citizens of the 10,000 evacuated have been able to return to their homes— upwards of 3,500 residents.
The fire originated within the Somis community and has spread primarily throughout Ventura County in Southern California. Within five hours, the wildfire spread to 10,000 acres, then spanning to 14,000 by Wednesday night and continuing to increase as the week continued. Reports indicate that over 132 properties and homes have been destroyed, with an additional 88 receiving damage. As of now, there have been no deaths, but 10 injuries have been reported, primarily from smoke inhalation.
Officials have not found the original cause of the fire, but investigations have been ongoing through fire and forest protection agencies. A likely cause could be downed power lines, but no conclusive evidence has been found. To caution against any further immediate fires, the main energy provider for Southern California, Southern California Edison, has shut down power for thousands of residents in case power lines still online could cause further damage.
Residents were strapped for time and safety when evacuations began. Many could only gather a few belongings and had to find their way out through dangerous terrain. Others suffered even more, as many who returned to their neighborhoods came to see their homes gone. Lives beyond the home have also been impacted, as schools and colleges had to be closed and evacuated. Both water pressure and drinking water have also been impacted, with the enormous strain being put on water systems, making it unsafe to drink or boil water from any source.
Emergency services have been hard at work fighting the fire, with some 2,420 first responders and firefighters being called in to deal with the natural disaster. California’s Governor Gavin Newsom stated that the state is putting all available efforts and resources they can offer for those on the frontlines, along with declaring a state of emergency for Ventura County. Though, it has not been an easy effort, as since the fire has occurred within steep land, it has made it harder for responders to reach and stop the flames.
Nature itself has also helped. While winds originating from the dry, warm, and breezy city of Santa Ana in Southern California helped fuel the intensity and spread of the fire, they have been decreasing as of Nov. 9. Meteorologists have also expected light winds to continue into the weekend, greatly aiding the firefighters.
Dr. Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, said a weak to moderate Santa Ana wind event is expected early to middle of next week, which could raise fire risk.
As of Friday, Nov. 9, 17 percent of the fire has been contained. As work continues into the weekend, change is expected to occur as wind effects die down. While some stability has returned for many of the state’s residents, it will be much longer before they return to the life they once had, lost in a matter of days.