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A fast-moving brush fire prompted officials to issue evacuation orders in Southern California on Monday.
The Sandy Fire broke out around 10:50 a.m., according to the Ventura County Fire Department. Air tankers and mutual aid have been requested to help battle the flames. As of Monday afternoon, the brush fire was estimated at more than 800 acres and was threatening nearby structures.
Evacuation orders were issued for residents in parts of Simi Valley—located about 41 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles—and into the Thousand Oaks area.
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“We have a good number of air resources on hand,” a fire department spokesperson told “America Reports.”
Around 500 personnel were battling the fire, as well as five helicopters and three air tankers, he said. Winds were gusting at 10 mph, with northeast Santa Ana winds expected to continue for the next few hours and weaken through the afternoon, before shifting onshore from the southwest fairly around 4 p.m.
Warm and dry conditions are expected to continue through Tuesday.
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.
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Air crews were making “aggressive” water and retardant drops in support of crews on the ground, the fire department said. A temporary evacuation point is being established at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park in Simi Valley, fire officials said.
Meanwhile, mutual aid fire engines were arriving from across the region to assist with containment efforts, officials said.
In addition to the Sandy Fire, two wildfires broke out in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles over the weekend. Both of those fires have since been fully contained. In the Angeles National Forest, the Burro Fire broke out Monday afternoon, expanding to at least 30 acres, authorities said.
Firefighters there were busy battling that blaze in neighboring Los Angeles County.
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The region is still reeling from the catastrophic 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires that exploded in size within hours of each other on Jan. 7, 2025.
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