A fast-moving brush fire known as the Sandy Fire broke out on Monday in the suburbs of Los Angeles, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of residents as flames spread rapidly across parts of Southern California.
The blaze started late Monday morning in Simi Valley, a city of about 125,000 residents located roughly 40 miles (60 kilometres) northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Driven by wind gusts of up to 35 mph (56 km/h), the fire had burned through approximately 1,364 acres (552 hectares) by Monday evening, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Officials confirmed that the fire destroyed at least one home, though no casualties have been reported so far.
Evacuation orders were issued for parts of Simi Valley and nearby Thousand Oaks, while several neighbourhoods in northern Los Angeles were placed under evacuation warnings as a precaution.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said residents under evacuation warning are not required to leave immediately but must remain alert and prepared.
“Under an Evacuation Warning, residents are not required to leave immediately but are encouraged to be alert and be prepared to evacuate if conditions worsen and an Evacuation Order is issued,” she said at a press briefing.
“At this time, we do not expect the wildfire to reach the City of Los Angeles,” she added.
Although wind speeds eased in the evening, CalFire warned that weather conditions remain highly challenging.
“Warm temperatures, low afternoon humidity, and terrain-driven winds continue to challenge containment efforts,” the agency said.
Firefighters continue efforts to contain the blaze as monitoring and evacuation measures remain in place across affected areas.
