SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – A fast-moving brush fire was spreading Wednesday in Simi Valley, prompting mandatory evacuations and threatening thousands of homes.
As of Thursday morning, the Easy Fire has burned more than 1,806 acres and is 60 percent contained. All of the mandatory evacuations have now been lifted.
Over 1,000 firefighters were engaged in battling the blaze which momentarily jumped the 23 Freeway before being beat back by firefighters and air support vehicles making drops from above.
The fire was spotted around 6 a.m. near the 118 Freeway and Madera Street. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, a powerful Northeast wind pushed the blaze west.
FULL COVERAGE | Southern California Wildfire Watch
Los Angeles County Firehawk helicopters and Angeles National Forest helicopters responded to assist with the fire. The National Weather Service tweeted that the Santa Ana winds could reach up to 50 mph near the Easy Fire.
The fire has destroyed some outbuildings with one residential structure possibly burning off Tierra Rejada. Approximately 26,000 residents have been impacted by the fire with 7,000 homes under evacuation orders -- mostly mandatory.
- North: Highway 118
- South: Olsen Road
- East: Madera Street
- West: Highway 23
Voluntary Evacuations:
- West: Miller Parkway
- East: 23 Freeway
- South: Teirra Rajada Road
- North: Los Angeles Avenue
- Thousand Oaks
- North Tierra Road
- North: East Olsen Road
- South: Sunset Hills Boulevard
- East: Morning Ridge Avenue
- West: Sunset Hills / East Olsen Road
- South: Santa Rosa Road
- East: Moorpark Road
- West: Vista Grande
Evacuation Centers:
- Thousand Oaks Community Center, 2525 N Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA
- Rancho Santa Susana Community Center, 5005 E Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley, CA
Large Animal Evacuation Center:
- Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W Harbor Blvd, Ventura, CA - FULL
- LA Pierce College - FULL
- 10 W Harbor Blvd, Ventura, CA
- Rancho Potero, 4790 W Lynn Rd
Anyone with a horse trailer who wants to help the evacuees move their large animals to safety can text 805-469-0896. Trucks without trailers are not needed.
Small Animal Evacuation Center:
- Camarillo Adoption Center, 600 Aviation Dr, Camarillo, CA
School Closures:
- Moorpark College is closed
- All Conejo Valley Unified School District schools
- ACCESS School
- ACE Charter High School
- Briggs School District
- CAPE Charter School
- Fillmore Unified School District
- Las Virgenes Unified School District
- Moorpark Unified School District
- Mupu School District
- Phoenix Los Nogales School
- Pleasant Valley School District
- River Oaks Charter School
- Santa Clara Elementary School District
- Santa Paula Unified School District
- Santa Rosa Technology Magnet School
- Simi Valley Unified School District
- Somis Union School District
- Triggs School
- University Preparation Charter School
- VCOE Career Education Center in Moorpark
- VCOE Special Education classrooms
- Vista Real Charter High School
Most of the schools were already planning on closing on Wednesday due to the Southern California Edison Public Power Safety Shutoffs. Weather conditions are expected to elevate the fire risk.
Road Closures:
- State Route 23 closed in both directions at Los Angeles Avenue
- State Route 118 connector to southbound SR-23
- Los Angeles Avenue ramp in both directions
- Moorpark Road at Tierra Rejada Road
- Santa Rosa at Moorpark Road
A Red Flag Warning has taken effect for Los Angeles, Ventura Counties, and Santa Clarita Valleys until 6 p.m. Thursday. This type of warning is activated when weather conditions are poised for extreme fire behavior.
The Reagan Library will be closed on Wednesday due to proximity to the fire. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is thanking first responders for their hard work.
N-95 Mask Distribution Locations:
- Los Robles Regional Medical Center, 215 W Janss Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA
- Thousand Oaks Community Center, 2525 N Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA
- Camarillo Healthcare District, 3639 Las Posas Rd, Camarillo, CA
- North Oxnard Public Health, 2240 East Gonzales Rd, Oxnard, CA
- South Oxnard Public Health, 2500 South C Street, Oxnard, CA