10,000 Homes Evacuated as Wildfire Rages Outside L.A.
More than 10,000 homes have been evacuated as a major wildfire tears through Los Angeles County. The Sandy Fire, which broke out on Monday morning in Simi Valley, just outside of Los Angeles, is burning across more than 1,300 acres. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. As of early Tuesday, the fire is at zero percent containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Andy VanSciver, a public information officer with the Ventura County Fire Department, confirmed that the wildfire is the largest one that firefighters have had to tackle so far this year, while noting that California does not really have wildfire seasons anymore. “We are now in a year-round season,” he told The Washington Post. “And we are transitioning into peak fire season.” In addition to the 10,000 homes that have already been evacuated, 3,500 more have been placed under evacuation warnings. California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed on Monday that the state had secured federal assistance to help respond to the Sandy Fire in Ventura. “We are deeply grateful to the crews on the front lines and urge Californians in impacted areas to follow guidance from local officials,” Newsom said.























