LOS ANGELES — Beneficial weather patterns have enabled firefighting teams to make significant progress in controlling a wildfire in Southern California, resulting in the destruction of 134 structures and damage to many others, as reported on Sunday.
As of now, the Mountain Fire has achieved a containment level of 26% in Ventura County, located northwest of Los Angeles; this is an increase from 21% the previous night. The total area affected by the fire remains approximately 32 square miles (about 83 square kilometers).
Investigators are still looking into the cause of the fire, while inspection teams are actively working to evaluate the extent of the damage caused.
On Saturday, evacuation orders for several regions of Ventura County were downgraded to warnings as gusty winds decreased and firefighters benefited from cooler temperatures and lower humidity levels.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire, “The fire continues to creep and smolder in steep rugged terrain, and threats to essential infrastructure, highways, and nearby communities persist.”
The wildfire ignited early Wednesday morning and rapidly expanded in size due to the presence of dry, warm, and gusty northeast Santa Ana winds. This prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents and posed a risk to around 3,500 structures in suburban areas, ranchlands, and agricultural regions close to the Camarillo community.
Officials from the agriculture sector, evaluating the damage to farms producing avocados, citrus fruits, and berries, have placed the estimated impact at approximately $2.4 million, according to reports.
A new surge of northeast winds is anticipated on Tuesday; however, an increase in humidity is also expected, and meteorologist Ryan Walbrun from the National Weather Service indicated that wind gusts should not reach the extreme levels that earlier fanned the flames.
The area northwest of Los Angeles is known for experiencing some of California’s most devastating wildfires over the years. Remarkably, the Mountain Fire expanded dramatically from less than half a square mile (about 1.2 square kilometers) to over 16 square miles (41 square kilometers) in just a little over five hours on Wednesday, with gusts exceeding 61 mph (98 kph).
Red flag warnings, which signify conditions of elevated fire risk, were lifted in most parts of the region by Thursday.
Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in Ventura County to address the wildfire situation.