KTLA 5 News reporter Sarah Welch was on the front lines of the Ventura County wildfires Wednesday afternoon, broadcast live on TV as homes were gutted by fires driven by fierce winds.
A wildfire that broke out earlier in the day in the Somis and Camarillo areas exploded to 9,000 acres and destroyed countless buildings. Firefighters’ efforts were hampered by strong Santa Ana winds blowing through Southern California on Wednesday.
“The blaze is just vicious,” Welch told KTLA 5 News at 1 p.m., as the house on Old Coach Drive in Camarillo Heights went up in flames. “It’s hot and windy. There are sporadic fires throughout the region.”
KTLA 5 News reporter Sarah Welch reports from Camarillo Heights as the house goes up in flames on live television. (KTLA) A house goes up in flames in a wildfire in Camarillo Heights, California. November 6, 2024. (KTLA) Sky5 aerial view of a home on fire during a wildfire in Ventura County, California on November 6, 2024. (KTLA) Sky5 aerial view of a home destroyed in a wildfire in Ventura County, California on November 6, 2024. November 6, 2024 (KTLA)
Welch observed many residents rushing to evacuate with their belongings and horses as the fire raced through the neighborhood.
Welch said firefighters were “all over the place” before moving to safety, but their efforts were limited because a large fire plane was unable to land due to the wind.
“These winds are so intense that we can’t get fixed-wing planes up in the air to drop the water,” she said. “Unfortunately, in many cases, there is no way to provide water, so some of these things just have to burn.”
