Ventura County fire claims homes, residents evacuated

CAMARILLO – (INT) - A fast-moving wildfire that erupted Wednesday in Ventura County has destroyed dozens of homes and sent firefighters rushing to get residents to safety, officials said.

The Mountain Fire near Camarillo prompted evacuation orders and has surpassed 14,000 acres, fueled by a significant Santa Ana wind.

“Firefighters were right off the bat engaged in pulling people out of their houses and saving lives,” Ventura County Fire Capt. Trevor Johnson said. The fire was moving so fast that firefighters evacuated residents out of the area in fire engines because of the danger, he said.

What sparked the conflagration under investigation.

High winds hampered fixed-wing aircraft from helping fight the flames, the Ventura County Fire Department said. Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner described sustained winds of 50 mph with gusts over 80 mph in the area of the blaze.

A spokesperson for the fire department said several people were injured and taken to hospitals. The fire was affecting the Camarillo Heights area near Camarillo, the department said.

Dozens of school districts and individual campuses in Ventura County, serving well over 70,000 students, announced closures for Thursday.

FEMA, The Federal Emergency Management Agency, authorized the use of federal funds to help battle the Mountain Fire.

The Ventura County Star contributed to this story.