Firefighters struggled across steep terrain to battle a fast-moving fire on Thursday in the jagged hills northwest of Los Angeles. Fueled by fierce winds and a lack of moisture, the flames burned through numerous homes and forced more than 10,000 people to evacuate.
More than 14,500 acres were burned a little over 24 hours after the blaze, known as the Mountain fire, broke out in Ventura County on Wednesday morning. The wildfire threatened 3,500 structures, with zero percent containment, fire officials said. They were sending out teams to determine how many homes had been damaged or destroyed.
Ground crews and helicopters focused their containment efforts near the communities of Santa Paula and Somis. At least 800 firefighters were battling the blaze on Thursday, with more expected. Many schools in the area were closed, and officials urged residents to stay away.
“The fire there is in a tricky place — it’s rugged, steep ground that only our finest firefighters can even access,” said Capt. Trevor Johnson of the Ventura County Fire Department. “We’re going to work as best as we can.”
Dozens of evacuees spent the night at Padre Serra Parish, a Catholic church in the town of Camarillo. The community, which is about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles, is home to many retirees and scenic wedding venues.
Linda Fefferman and her husband, Dennis Gottlieb, were sheltering at the church after evacuating from the home they had rented from a friend. They barely made it out: The fire felled a tree and blocked the road as they tried to leave the neighborhood.
“We figured we were trapped,” said Ms. Fefferman, 74. “Thankfully, one of the neighbors had a chain saw.”
The home was not spared. The couple lost their two pet birds, decades of family genealogy records and supplies for Mr. Gottlieb’s pest control business. “He’s got his truck, but everything else is gone,” Ms. Fefferman said.
The couple does not have renter’s insurance. They plan to stay at the shelter until they sort things out. They have no family nearby, and nowhere else to go, Ms. Fefferman said. “Eventually, I’ll break down, I’m sure.”
Fire crews received a slight reprieve on Thursday, when gusts that had been blowing as fast as 80 miles per hour slowed to about 35 m.p.h., said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Conditions are expected to improve even more by Friday.
The region threatened by the fire includes rural communities dotted with nurseries, farms and horse ranches. Wildfires are not uncommon there, but residents said they were unprepared for how swiftly the blaze progressed.
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California said in a statement that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would provide quick financial assistance to battle the fire, and urged residents to be ready to evacuate when officials told them to leave.
Two people went to a hospital with injuries from the fire on Wednesday, said Jim Fryhoff, the Ventura County sheriff. He did not know their condition. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Ethan Bates, 26, had left the Camarillo home he shares with his mother early Wednesday to golf with a friend 30 miles away. When he returned about 10:30 a.m., his neighborhood was unrecognizable.
“It was a total nightmare — it was a giant black cloud of smoke in the air,” Mr. Bates said. He managed to save his passport and his golden retriever, Butter, before leaving with his mother.
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