420 gallons of crude oil spills into Ventura County creek
Roughly 420 gallons of crude oil spilled into Sisar Creek between Ojai and Santa Paula in Ventura County.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said Carbon California personnel got a notification about the spill at around 2 p.m. on Tuesday. They believe about 420 gallons spilled into roughly a 0.75-mile stretch of Sisar Creek. State officials said the figures may change once crews complete their full assessment in the rugged terrain.
Crews began cleaning up the spill and recovering the oil. Officials have set up a safety zone around the spill site and established air monitoring. They advised visitors to avoid the spill.
Fish and Wildlife has not found any animals covered in oil, but the department has placed the Oiled Wildlife Care Network on standby in case crews find any.
They urged people to refrain from trying to capture oiled animals. Instead, they asked anyone who encounters distressed wildlife to call 1(877) 823-6926.
Fish and Wildlife has established a unified command with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Spill Prevention and Response, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and Carbon California.
They said crews do not need volunteers at this time. If you would like to receive updates on the spill, Fish and Wildlife asked individuals to call 1(800) 228-4544.
