Sandy Fire prompts evacuation orders in Southern California
The Sandy Fire broke out Monday morning in Ventura County, California, burning nearly more than 800 acres and prompting evacuation orders in parts of Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks.
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Tractor striking a rock possibly sparked the Sandy Fire, police say
A driver operating a tractor struck a rock, sparking the brush fire in Ventura County, police said.
The Simi Valley Police Department received a call around 10:17 a.m. from an individual reporting they had hit a rock with the machinery.
That spark quickly ignited the brush, which then expanded into the Sandy Fire, according to Sgt. Rick Morton. While an investigation into the incident remains ongoing, authorities do not believe criminal activity was involved, Morton said.
"I'm sure, civilly, maybe somebody will be held liable later, but we're not looking at anything criminal at this point," he added.
Burro Fire in Angeles National Forest triggers evacuation warning
A small fire in the Angeles National Forest triggered an evacuation warning near the Burro Peak area on Monday.
The Burro Fire had burned around 30 acres as of Monday afternoon with 0% containment, CAL FIRE said.
The blaze broke out just after 1:15 p.m. local time and was burning through brush at a moderate rate of speed.
Sandy Fire expands to 836 acres as crews battle flames from air and ground
Fire crews were battling the Sandy Fire on Monday, which had expanded to 836 acres by 4 p.m. local time
Crews fought the blaze from both the ground and the air in an aggressive effort to bring it under control.
A video released by the Ventura County Fire Department showed a firefighter attempting to extinguish flames moving rapidly through the brush.
One structure has been damaged, and several others are currently threatened, the agency said.
Incoming sea breeze will help crews contain the Sandy Fire, officials say
An influx of cooler air expected to arrive in the region will help crews on the ground battle the Sandy Fire, officials said.
The dropping temperatures will come from a sea breeze, aiding the more than 200 personnel fighting the blaze from both the ground and the air, a Ventura County Fire Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
"So that cooler air is now coming in, so it's going to start pushing the fire back on itself, which will really help out personnel," he said.
As of Monday afternoon, one structure had been damaged, but no injuries have been reported.
Spencer Pratt invokes 2025 Palisades Fire in campaign push amid Sandy Fire response
As crews push to contain the Sandy Fire, Spencer Pratt recalled the 2025 Palisades Fire that destroyed his home and those of thousands of others.
"Man, if only we had this around the Palisades," Pratt, who is running to unseat Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, wrote on X.
His post was accompanied by a news reel of the Sandy Fire in neighboring Ventura County.
"Keep in mind, the winds over the #SandyFire here are stronger than they were on the IA of the Palisades Fire, and yet…" he added.
Pratt has made the response to the Palisades Fire—and the subsequent red tape that has prevented many from rebuilding their homes—a significant pillar of his mayoral campaign.
Specifically, he has focused on fuel breaks, a strategically managed strip or zone of land where vegetation is thinned, removed, or modified to reduce the amount of burnable material.
"The context is that fuels breaks convert unstoppable head fire into stoppable spot fires," he wrote Monday. "Oftentimes, fuel breaks DO stop fires, but at the very least, they give you a chance to catch it, and they reduce the proximity of embers to your structure. Every foot of distance helps.
Air and ground crews launch aggressive assault on Sandy Fire as mutual aid arrives
Firefighting aircraft were making "aggressive" water and retardant drops in support of crews on the ground, the Ventura County Fire Department said.
"Firefighters are actively defending structures while bulldozers work to establish containment lines," the agency stated.
Mutual aid fire engines were arriving from across the region to assist with containment efforts, officials said.
Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect.
Simi Valley school district evacuates two elementary schools
The Simi Valley Unified School District evacuated students from two schools amid the fast-moving Sandy Fire.
Students from Crestview Elementary School and Mountain View Elementary School were taken to Simi Valley High School by bus, the district said.
"All children from those campuses who were bused over are safe," a post on the district's Facebook page states. "To be clear, we were not told to evacuate these campuses or any other, but chose to do so and then immediately notified those families."
Gov. Newsom briefed on Sandy Fire as crews deploy air and ground attack
California Gov. Gavin Newsom was briefed on the Sandy Fire and remains in touch with first responders.
"Residents should continue to follow the direction of emergency personnel as they work to contain this fire," his press office wrote on X.
The Ventura County Fire Department was making water drops using helicopters onto hot spots, while firefighters on the ground provided aggressive structure defense operations, the agency said.
Sandy Fire forces evacuation of Reagan Presidential Library
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley has been evacuated as crews continue to battle the Sandy Fire.
The library was evacuated as a precautionary measure, although a handful of staff members remained on-site. By Monday morning, the fire had spread to more than 184 acres.
The Ventura County Fire Department stated that crews, water tankers, and helicopters were working to extinguish the blaze.
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