What you need to know
The wildfire occurred in the Moorpark and Camarillo areas of Ventura County. The blaze, fanned by strong winds, quickly spread to several homes. Firefighters said several people were hospitalized with injuries.
A wildfire quickly grew to 8,800 acres Wednesday in the hills above Moorpark and Camarillo in Ventura County.
The wildfire was reported around 9 a.m. near Highway 118 near Balcom Canyon and Bradley roads, resulting in several injuries and forced evacuations in the northwest Los Angeles area. The flames spread from the brush to several homes, and evacuations were ordered.
The fire department said strong winds in the area contributed to the difficult conditions. The fire crossed Highway 118 into the Camarillo Heights area and appeared to have started elsewhere, fanned by high winds.
A fire broke out in Malibu on Wednesday, destroying at least one beachfront home near Pacific Coast Highway.
The latest information on California’s statewide wildfires shows a staggering increase in the number of acres burned compared to last year. As of Monday, Cal Fire reported more than 1 million acres had been burned since the beginning of the year. At this time last year, just 308,000 acres had burned.
The average for the five years ending Nov. 4 was 1.2 million acres.
