Sandy Fire in Southern California's Simi Valley grows to more than 1,300 acres, prompts mandatory evacuations

Crews are continuing to battle a brush fire dubbed the Sandy Fire burning in Simi Valley, which has grown to more than 1,300 acres on Tuesday morning. 

More than 750 firefighters have been assigned to the fire, which sparked on Monday morning. The blaze quickly spread, prompting mandatory evacuations for thousands of residents.

The fire has grown to 1,386 acres with no containment as of 5 a.m. It began burning in the area near Sandy Avenue before rapidly spreading due to terrain-driven winds and low humidity, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. 

The Simi Valley Police Department says around 10:17 a.m., they received a report that an individual "hit a rock with a tractor" near the 2600 block of Rudolph Drive, which sparked the fire. 

Cal Fire officials said that "the fire is spreading dangerously fast and threatens structures as well as infrastructure. Multiple air and ground resources are en route and on order."

Sgt. Rick Morton said when people are clearing large pieces of property, oftentimes they strike something not seen to the naked eye, which may cause whatever they're clearing to catch on fire.  

Aerial footage of the fire showed clouds of thick smoke, several water-dropping helicopters and residents evacuating their homes. 

Andrew Dowd, the Public Information Officer for the Ventura County Fire Department, said they were in an aggressive firefight and were receiving additional ground and air resources from other agencies across Southern California. 

"Having the ability to drop up to a thousand gallons of water per drop, and a quick turnaround time from a lake nearby, has been instrumental," Dowd said.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said that city officials were "closely monitoring" the fire and that the Los Angeles Fire Department had deployed some resources to support Ventura County crews. 

CBS LA spoke to neighbors near where a home was destroyed on Trickling Brook Court. They said the family who lived there had been there for decades. Many thanked firefighters for their quick response.

"The first responders, they were here, they did the magic that they do," said Don Sullivan. "They've been doing a great job. I've been watching the drops; they are right on target."

Other neighbors sprang into action to help one another as they evacuated. Some had to leave with horses and other pets in tow. 

"It's a very tight-knit street, it's a very tight-knit community," said Kady Doody.

Evacuation orders and warnings 

The Ventura County Sheriff's Emergency Services issued mandatory evacuations for more than 13,000 residents as the fire continued to burn through Monday evening. Evacuation orders are in place for:

• SIMI-32A
• SIMI-33A
• SIMI-34
• SIMI-35
• Santa Susana 01
• Santa Susana 02
• Cheeseboro 01
• Burro Flats 01
• Meyer Canyon 01
• Bell Canyon 01
• Bell Canyon 02
• Bell Canyon 04
• Bell Canyon 05

Evacuation warnings are also in place for Ventura County residents in:

• Box Canyon 02
• Box Canyon 03
• Bell Canyon 03

Along with residents in Chatsworth, which the Los Angeles Fire Department placed under evacuation warning "should conditions worsen," several other Los Angeles County zones were also placed under evacuation warnings, including:

• WTH-U045
• HID-C501
• AGO-C304
• CAL-C401
• LAC-WOOLSEY
• LAC-LAKEMANOR
• CSB-U024
• MTV-U048
• LFD-0405
• LFD-0469
• LFD-0343
• LFD-0295
• LFD-0471

A temporary evacuation point and overnight emergency shelter have been established at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park on 505 Los Angeles Avenue. 

• Small animal shelter: Simi Valley Animal Shelter, 670 W Los Angeles AvenueSimi Valley, CA 93065
• Large animal shelter: Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 E Harbor Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was evacuated and remained closed for the rest of the day. 

"As always, we are immensely thankful for the firefighters and first responders who protect our community," said a statement from a library spokesperson.

Simi Valley Unified school closures

The Simi Valley Unified School District said the fire was burning near several of its schools. Students from the Crestview Elementary School and Mountain View Elementary School were evacuated to Simi Valley High School by bus. The district said they were not told to evacuate, but chose to do so and immediately notified students. 

Due to the air quality conditions, students at other schools sheltered in place inside classrooms, and all outdoor activities were suspended. 

"District and school staff are actively monitoring the situation in close coordination with local emergency personnel," the school district said. "We are prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice if emergency officials determine that it is necessary."

At around 6:15 p.m. on Monday, Simi Valley Unified School District officials said that with at least seven schools located in the evacuation zones, school would be canceled on all campuses and afterschool programs on Tuesday. 

"We hope that by providing this early information, our families will be able to make appropriate arrangements for childcare tomorrow," a spokesperson for the district said. "We will evaluate the status of the Sandy Fire tomorrow afternoon and communicate again with staff and families about Wednesday's status."

Road closures

Ventura County firefighters have closed several roads to keep the public safe and to allow firefighting equipment to assist with the ongoing situation. 

• Bell Canyon Road in both directions from Overland Drive
• Katherine Road at the railroad tracks
• Oak Knolls at Southern Oaks Avenue
• Crinklaw Lane
• Santa Susana Pass Road at the railroad tracks and at Box Canyon Road

Weather conditions, air quality in Simi Valley  

CBS LA Meteorologist Alex Biston said the offshore Santa Ana winds were expected to subside by the late afternoon. She added that the winds are causing dry conditions, which can contribute to the fire behavior. 

The National Weather Service said the gusty northeast Santa Ana winds will weaken overnight, but another round is expected to arrive early Tuesday morning and continue through the afternoon. 

At around 6:30 p.m., officials with the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for most of Los Angeles and Ventura counties due to the Sandy Fire and the Santa Rosa Island Fire, which has burned more than 14,000 acres of vegetation in the Channel Islands off the Santa Barbara Coast. Officials said that smoke impacts would increase overnight and be unhealthy for people in sensitive groups.

Gov. Newsom secures federal aid

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state had secured federal firefighting funds to help suppress the fire through a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

"California is mobilizing resources to support Ventura County communities threatened by the Sandy Fire," Newsom said in a statement. "This activation will ensure responders have the support needed to continue protecting lives and homes as dangerous fire conditions persist."