Easy Fire rips through Simi Valley near Ronald Reagan Library
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - A rapidly-growing fire ignited in Simi Valley near the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Wednesday morning.
For an interactive evacuation map, click here.
The fire scorched at least 1,723 and was 10% contained.
The map shows the Easy Fire containment lines (Courtesy: Ventura County Fire Department)
Two structures were destroyed and three firefighters were injured. The injured firefighters are being treated at the hospital for smoke inhalation, the Ventura County Fire Department said.
Go to vcemergency.com for the latest updates on evacuations and road closures.
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS
All mandatory evacuations were lifted by 10:19 a.m. Thursday, fire officials said.
VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS
• West of Sunset Hills
• East Olsen Road
• North of East Olsen Road
• East of Morning Ridge Ave
• South of Sunset Hills Road.
SIMI VALLEY, CA - OCTOBER 30: A firefighting jet drop retardant over a threatened neighborhood after fire jumped the State Route 23 freeway at the Easy Fire on October 30, 2019 near Simi Valley, California. Firefighters were able to stop expansion of
The Ronald Reagan Library was evacuated shortly after the fire broke out. Firefighters were able to save the building, Ventura County Fire Department Chief Lorenzen said.
Related: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library threatened after new wildfire erupts in Simi Valley
Smoke from the “Easy Fire” can be seen surrounding the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif. (Photo credit: FOX 11 Los Angeles)
Fire officials said it was too soon to discuss repopulation areas and that it would depend on the suppression of the blaze.
SHELTERS
• Thousand Oaks Community Center located at 2525 N. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks
• Rancho Santa Susana Community Center located at 5005 E. Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley.
LARGE ANIMALS
• Ventura County Fairgrounds located at 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, 93001 — 1PM UPDATE: Ventura County Fairgrounds is FULL and not accepting any more large animals.
• Earl Warren Showgrounds located at 3400 Calle Real in Santa Barbara
• Rancho Potrero Equestrian Center was accepting horses for corral at 4790 W. Lynn Street, Los Angeles, 90042
SMALL ANIMALS
• Ventura Animal Services located at 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, 93010
• Camarillo Adoption Center located at 600 Aviation Drive in Camarillo, 93010
• Conejo Creek West/Waverly Park at 1350 East Avenida De Las Flores, Thousand Oaks, 91360
SIMI VALLEY, CA - OCTOBER 30: A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop near inmate firefighters battling the Easy Fire on October 30, 2019 near Simi Valley, California. The National Weather Service issued a rare extreme red flag warning for South
N-95 MASK DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS
• Los Robles Regional Medical Center located at 215 W. Janss Rd, Thousand Oaks
• Camarillo Healthcare District located at 3639 Las Posas Rd, Camarillo
• North Oxnard Public Health, located at 2240 East Gonzales Rd., Oxnard
• South Oxnard Public Health located at 2500 South C Street, Oxnard
SIMI VALLEY, CA - OCTOBER 30: An inmate firefighter from Oak Glen Conservation Camp near Yucaipa, California sets a backfire during the Easy Fire on October 30, 2019 near Simi Valley, California. The National Weather Service issued a rare extreme red
ROAD CLOSURES
• The #1 lane was open on northbound Highway 23
• Southbound on-ramp to Highway 23 from Tierra Rejada was closed
• Northbound Highway 23 to the Tierra Rejada off-ramp was closed
• Tierra Rejada to Highway 23 was closed
COLLEGE CAMPUS AND SCHOOL CLOSURES
Moorpark College, California Lutheran University and California State University Channel Islands were closed Wednesday and Thursday.
The following schools announced closures in Ventura County:
• ACCESS School (Moorpark)
• ACE Charter High School (Camarillo)
• Bridges Charter School (Thousand Oaks)
• Briggs School District
• CAPE Charter School (Camarillo)
• Conejo Valley Unified School District
• Fillmore Unified School District
• Las Virgenes Unified School District
• Moorpark Unified School District
• Mupu School District
• Pleasant Valley School District
• Santa Clara Elementary School District
• Santa Paula Unified School District
• Santa Rosa Technology Magnet School (Camarillo)
• Simi Valley Unified School District
• Triggs School (Thousand Oaks)
• VCOE Career Education Center in Moorpark
• VCOE Special Education Classrooms at La Mariposa Elementary School, Las Colinas Elementary School and the Pleasant Valley Early Childhood Center
• Vista Real Charter High School, Simi Valley Resource Center
FIRE INFORMATION
Approximately 30,000 residents are under evacuation orders while 2,000 others are under voluntary evacuations. Over 7,000 structures are threatened.
According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, the Easy Fire jumped state Route 23 near Moorpark.
The Easy Fire sparked near the intersection of Madera Road and Easy Street located near the 118 Freeway around 6 a.m.
The fire spread west toward the 23 Freeway, the Ventura County Fire Department said.
Wind speeds sustained around 40 mph when the fire broke out and continued the same rate of speed as fire crews worked to knock down the blaze.
The Ventura County Fire Department braced for the high wind event and had augmented resources, according to Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen.
Three strike teams with the Los Angeles Fire Department were sent to the area to assist Ventura County firefighters amid ongoing high wind conditions, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph M. Terrazas announced.
More than 1,000 firefighters continued to battle the wind-driven brush fire.
Southern California Edison shut-off power for 22,008 Ventura County residents as Santa Ana winds continued to rage in the area.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to "ensure the availability of resources" to fight the ferocious blaze.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
FOX 11 Digital Producer Alexi Chidbachian, Oscar Flores, and Mary Stringini contributed to this report