– Firefighters and police evacuated residents from neighborhoods near Camarillo. Unfortunately, their home caught fire, said Ventura County Fire Captain Tony McHale. – Fighting these elements is like trying to put out a fire with a water gun – he added.
Fires in California threaten 3,500 buildings
According to Reuters, the fire first started in a hillside canyon and then moved west, aided by Santa Ana winds. Authorities said the fire consumed a lot of grass and brush, and winds gusting up to 130 km/h caused the fire to cover an area of more than 5,900 hectares.
“Several people were injured and a large number of homes, businesses and other buildings were destroyed,” McHale said. He added that it was still too dangerous to enter the area to assess the damage.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said the fires threatened 3,500 structures. Due to the fire, Ventura County schools are closed until Friday, according to the Ventura County Office of Education.